Cink (64) Leads Low-Scoring Colonial

Stewart Cink was swinging and thinking well during the first round of the Colonial at Fort Worth. And the result was predictable.

“It almost feels like it’s too easy to play,” Cink said after shooting a six-under-par 64 Thursday.

Cink wasn’t alone.

Only a stroke back at 65 were Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson, Arron Oberholser, Charley Hoffman and Stephen Ames.

Defending champion Kenny Perry was among a group of eight players at 66.

Of the 113 players who finished rounds Thursday, 47 were under par and another 19 shot 70.

Cink began his bogey-free round with three straight birdies and was already five under through eight holes. He then had a 10-foot birdie putt at the 408-yard No. 9 that lipped the cup, the same thing that happened on his 19-footer at the 433-yard closing hole.

“I gave myself a lot of chances for birdies. With no wind to speak of out there, club selection wasn’t that challenging,” Cink said.

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Natalie Gulbis and Beth Bauer, who battled for LPGA rookie of the year honors in 2002, and Hee-Won Han were tied for the first-round lead at the Sybase Classic at New Rochelle, N.Y., at three-under 68.

The golfers attracting the most attention coming into the tournament at the 6,227-yard Wykagyl Country Club course were both four shots behind.

Paula Creamer, who won the tournament last year four days before her high school graduation, and Annika Sorenstam, who missed the cut last week for the first time since 2002, had one-over 72s.

Gulbis eagled the par-four eighth with a 100-yard sand wedge and had four birdies -- including a chip-in from 60 feet.