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Rollins grabs first day advantage

John Rollins posted the best first-round score in the five-year history of the Hershey Open on Thursday, carding a six-under- par 65 to take the opening-round lead.

Joe Daley, who finished in a tie for second at last week's Knoxville Open, is two shots back.

Rollins, whose best finish on the Buy.com Tour was third at this event two years ago, had six birdies in a bogeyless round Thursday. After parring the first hole, he birdied the next four before sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on 13 and draining his last birdie attempt on 14.

"Coming into this golf tournament you don't expect guys to shoot 6-, 7-under par in a round and to do it is obviously a great feeling and I'm happy with it," said Rollins, whose best finish this year was a tie for 12th at last week's Knoxville Open. "I missed a few greens, but I managed the greens I missed to get up and down so for the most part it was a pretty stress-free round and I'm pleased with the way I hit and the way I played."

Daley also played a bogey-free round Thursday. His 12-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole put him at four-under for the day at the Country Club of Hershey.

"I grew up on courses like this just east of here in suburbia Philadelphia so it's very familiar to me," said Daley. "The greens are about as demanding as you can get."

Jay Hobby, Steve Haskins, Rob Bradley, Bobby Elliott, Charley Hoffman, Gary Hallberg and Deane Pappas are each three strokes behind Rollins.

Rough weather delayed play for nearly two hours Thursday, forcing a few golfers to complete their rounds just before darkness.

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