FORT WORTH (Texas), May 19: Stewart Cink, seeking his first PGA triumph since 2004, fired a bogey-free six-under par 66 on Thursday to grab a one-stroke lead after the first round of the six million-dollar Colonial.

The American could win his sixth US PGA title here on his 33rd birthday.

Cink began his round with three birdies, reached the turn five-under par and birdied the 14th as well to gain a one-stroke edge on Canada's Stephen Ames and Americans Bubba Watson, Arron Oberholser, Charley Hoffman and Zach Johnson.

Perry, who won by seven strokes a year ago, missed two months because of arthroscopic knee surgery and shared 34th last week in his first event since the operation.

Cink narrowly missed a 25-foot eagle putt at the first hole and put his approach two feet from the cup at the second. A tee shot at the fourth with little regard or thought set up a 20-foot birdie, proving it was Cink's day.

After birdies at six and eight, Cink added a birdie at the par-4 14th and lipped out an 18-foot birdie bid on the final hole.

First round scores

64 --Stewart Cink (U.S.)

65 -- Bubba Watson (U.S.); Arron Oberholser (U.S.); Stephen Ames (Canada); Zach Johnson (U.S.); Charley Hoffman (U.S.)

66 -- Nick O'Hern (Australia); Jason Gore (U.S.); Mike Weir (Canada); Bill Haas (U.S.); Jim Furyk (U.S.); Ryan Palmer (U.S.); Peter Lonard (Australia); Kenny Perry (U.S.)

67 -- Bo Van Pelt (U.S.); Rod Pampling (Australia); Robert Gamez (U.S.); Mathias Groenberg (Sweden); Tim Herron (U.S.); Nathan Green (Australia); Brian Gay (U.S.); Dean Wilson (U.S.); Fred Funk (U.S.); Chad Campbell (U.S.)

68 -- Richard Johnson (Sweden); David Toms (U.S.) Chris Riley (U.S.);

Brett Quigley (U.S.); Justin Rose (Britain); Ben Curtis (U.S.); Camilo Villegas (Colombia)

69 -- J.L. Lewis (U.S.); John Rollins (U.S.); James Driscoll (U.S.); Lucas Glover (U.S.) 69; Steve Flesch (U.S.); Rich Beem (U.S.); Shigeki Maruyama (Japan); Hunter Mahan (U.S.); Henrik Bjornstad (Norway); John Senden (Australia); Jerry Kelly (U.S.); Harrison Frazar (U.S.); Mark Hensby (Australia); Bob Estes (U.S.); Bob Tway (U.S.); David Branshaw (U.S.).--Agencies