SPRINGDALE -- Chris Collins not only braved the heat Friday at the 78th Dwight Collins Chick-A-Tee Invitational, he used the conditions to his favor.
Collins took advantage of a dry Springdale Country Club and turned in a scorching first round, scoring an 8-under par 64 to build a four-shot lead after Friday's first-round play in the 54-hole stroke play tournament.
78th Dwight Collins Chick-A-Tee Invitational
When: June 17-19
Where: Springdale Country Club
First Round Results
Chris Collins — 64
Jacob Bartel — 68
Rob Costner — 68
Josh Farrell — 68
Stan Stockton — 69
Brett Granata — 70
Kenny Herriman — 70
Dana Sera — 70
Rick McClintock — 71
Alex Neal — 71
John Robinson III — 71
Steven Dixon — 72
Phil Ford — 72
Morgan Matthews — 72
Drew Stewart — 72
Kraig Williams — 72
Ronnie Ruff — 72
Stephen Stanton — 72
Matt Wait — 72
Michael Chaney — 73
Randy Jones — 73
David Ray — 73
Tim Alderson — 74
Shannon Burasco — 74
Jim Casey — 74
Johnny Lea — 74
John David Lindsey — 74
Roger Voss — 74
Matt Dura — 75
Rodger Dunigan — 75
Walter White — 75
Mike Bradley — 76
Jeremy Hurlbut — 76
Terry Key — 76
Jamie Prendergast — 76
Christopher Dixon — 77
Jeff Farver — 77
Sean Huggins — 77
Bob Pinkleton — 77
Brian Taylor — 77
Kent Williamson — 77
Stan Wilson — 77
Milton Ball — 78
Craig Cooper — 78
Sonny Delgado — 78
Greg Lee — 78
Joe Moore — 78
Mike Pinkerton — 78
Douglas Steele — 78
Whit Weeks — 78
Jarrell Williams — 78
James Jech — 79
David Lienemann — 79
Clint Miller — 79
Jerry Triska — 79
Rob Craig — 80
Booter Duffield — 80
Jody Keene — 80
Andy Schuch — 80
Gene Anderson — 81
Steven Bertram — 81
Taylor Deweese — 81
Ron Syler — 81
Todd Fraley — 82
Clark Greenhaw — 82
Adam Jackson — 82
Drew Comer — 83
John Gladden — 83
Jamie Hussey — 83
Joel Kelsey — 83
Knight Weis — 83
Darryl Rhoda — 84
Don Harris — 85
Hickory Morton — 85
Adam Kotchin — 86
Bill Locke — 86
Mike Morse — 86
Wally Switzer — 86
Jimmy Woods — 86
Jayson Balk — 87
Bill Zemke — 87
Russell Atchley — 88
Sean Barrows — 88
Rhett Chenevert — 88
Eric Crowley — 88
John Robinson, Jr. — 88
Brett Chenevert — 89
Lane Haymond — 90
Zac Maloch — 90
Don Neal — 90
Wade Carter — 91
Roger Clark — 91
Gary Colburn — 91
Harry Green — 91
Gene Holt — 92
Wayne Bryant — 93
Gerald Easterling — 93
Blake Harris — 93
Mark Kilpatrick — 94
Earvel Fraley — 95
Joe Herriman — 96
Robert Hoke — 96
Mike Storms — 97
Jon Dellinger — 99
Michael King — 100
Andy Hollingsworth — 106
Thomas Crosier — 108
Tom Crosier — 108
Pat Storms — 109
Bobby Granata — 119
James Marshall — WD
"I've been playing pretty well lately," Collins said. "The course was playing short, and our group started on No. 10, and I just played the back nine really well.
"... It got to a point where I didn't even know how many under par I was. I just had a very good round today."
Collins, a regular contender in the championship flight at the Chick-A-Tee in recent years, birdied his first hole, the 400-yard par 4 10th that would set off a barrage on the back nine. He added birdies on the par 5 12th, the par 4 14th, the par 5 15th and par 4 17th to get to five-under par through just eight holes.
Collins would add birdies on both par fives on the front nine, at No. 2 and No. 7, and with another at the par 4 6th for his 64.
"To win this tournament you have to play well around the greens and putt well all the way through," Collins said. "I'm just going to come out here at 8 a.m. (Saturday) and tee it up again."
Defending champion Josh Farrell, a former Arkansas Razorback golfer, is tied for second after Friday's round after carding a 68.
Farrell began his round on No. 1 and quickly got to 2-under with birdies on No. 2 and No. 3. After a double bogey on the 414-yard par 4 ninth dropped Farrell back to even par, two eagles on the back nine -- at the par 5 15th and 311-yard par 4 17th -- allowed him to work back to his final score of 68.
"It was hot out there, and the course was soft," Farrell said. "I was able to make those two eagles, and I hit it pretty solid."
Jacob Bartel also finished with a 68, as did former Chick-A-Tee champion Rob Costner playing from the nonchampionship flight blue tees with the declared championship flight players playing back from the gold tees.
Play resumes today with shotgun starts at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Sports on 06/18/2016