Johnson Leads Opening Round At Colonial

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2010 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial champion Zach Johnson posted four consecutive birdies on Nos. 13-16 en route to a bogey-free, 6-under 64 on Thursday to take the lead by one stroke over Harris English, Jason Dufner, Kyle Reifers and Tom Gillis. Johnson is making his seventh start at the Colonial, where he has never finished outside of the top 30. Johnson finished fourth in last year’s event. Johnson has made 12 previous starts this year, and has yet to miss a cut. He claimed runner-up finishes in two of his three starts prior to this week (RBC Heritage, THE PLAYERS). His other top-10 finish of the season came with T8 honors at the Humana Challenge. He is No. 18 on the FedExCup points list.

This marks the 10th straight year a round of 64 or better has led after day one. In the previous 64 playings of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, the first-round leader/co-leader has gone on to claim victory only 16 times. Dating to 1989, just three first-round leaders have gone on to win the Invitational (Ian Baker-Finch in 1989, Steve Stricker in 2009 and David Toms in 2011).

PGA TOUR rookie Harris English opened with a bogey-free 5-under 65 in his first start at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. English is making his 15th start of the season this week, where his lone top-10 finish is a T8 at the RBC Heritage.

Last week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship winner carded an opening-round, 5-under 65 and trails

the lead by one in his fourth start in the event. Should Dufner win for the second straight week, he would become just the second player to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and HP Byron Nelson Championship in the same year (Ben Hogan/1946). He would also become the 12th player to win the two Texas events in a career, and first since Rory Sabbatini. Sabbatini won the 2007 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and the 2009 HP Byron Nelson Championship.

If Dufner wins this week, he would become 2012’s first three-time winner. He would become the first to win three times in a season since Jim Furyk achieved the feat in 2010.

Defending champion David Toms struggled in round one, matching his highest score in 50 previous rounds at Colonial of 4-over 74. Toms is making his 15th start at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, where he has five top-10 finishes. Toms is seeking to join Ben Hogan as the only players to win back-to-back Colonials, with Hogan performing the feat twice (1946-47 and 1952-53).

Rickie Fowler, winner of the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, carded a 2-under 68 on Thursday in his third start at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (T38-2010, T16-2011).

1985 and 1996 Crowne Plaza Invitational champion Corey Pavin, making his 29th consecutive start at the event dating to 1984, opened with a 1-over 71. He owns eight top 10s at the Colonial. Ben Hogan leads in all-time top 10s here with 15.

1987 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial champion Keith Clearwater recorded an 8-over 78 in his 25th start at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

1993 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial champion Fulton Allem opened with a 3-over 73. Since winning in 1993, Allem has competed at Colonial every year, with the exception of 2010.

Sergio Garcia opened with a 4-under 66 in his seventh start (T16-2011, 2005-MC, 2004-T35, 2003-MC, 2002-MC, 2001-1) at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. In 2001, he fired rounds of 69-69-66-63 to win by two strokes over Phil Mickelson and Brian Gay, after having entered the final round five strokes behind Mickelson and Brett Quigley.

THE PLAYERS Championship winner Matt Kuchar has never missed a cut in five starts at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (T36-2007, 9-2008, T27-2009, T56-2010, T16-2011). He opened on Thursday with a 2-over 72.

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III is teeing it up for the 23rd time at the Crowne Plaza Invitational, with runner-up finishes in 1987 and 2000. He opened on Thursday with a 5-over 75 in his 650th official PGA TOUR start.

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