Duluth, GA (My Sportsbook) - Kenny Perry didn't waste much time washing away his horrible final round at last week's Players Championship.

Perry fired a six-under 66 on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the AT&T Classic.

Jonathan Byrd, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Kaye and Parker McLachlin joined Perry atop the leaderboard at the TPC at Sugarloaf.

There was a 31-minute weather delay on Thursday and even after play resumed, a steady rain fell on the course. The round was suspended due to darkness and the remaining players will return to the course at 7:30 a.m. (et) Friday morning to complete the first round.

Perry was alone in second place heading into the final round of the Players Championship. He shot an 81 on Sunday and slipped into a tie for 15th, eight shots out of the playoff between Paul Goydos and Sergio Garcia.

Perry began on the back nine Thursday and birdied three of his first five holes. He parred the next six around the turn, but crept up the leaderboard midway through his second nine.

He racked up back-to-back birdies at three and four, then tapped in a short one for birdie at the par-five sixth. That tied Perry for the lead, one he almost coughed up on the way into the clubhouse.

At the par-three eighth, Perry needed a five-foot par save to stay among the leaders. On his final hole, after a long wait on the tee, he drove into a puddle. He came up short, then hit a terrible chip.

Perry sank a 14-foot par save to stay among the leaders.

Byrd, who has a pair of top 10s at this tournament in the last two years, started with an easy birdie at the par-four first. He rolled in a 15-footer at the fourth and took advantage of the next par five, the sixth, when he nearly sank a 30-footer for eagle.

After the easy birdie at six, Byrd found serious trouble off the tee at seven. He drove into hay and took an unplayable. All things totaled, Byrd ended up holing a tricky eight-footer for double-bogey.

"A great double," said Byrd.

On the back nine, Byrd hit a lot of shots close. He tallied back-to-back tap- in birdies at 10 and 11, then sank a 10-footer for birdie at 13. Byrd nearly aced 16 before settling for birdie, then two-putted the par-five 18th green for his 66.

"I feel like I putted really well today. I made some key putts," said Byrd, who tied for ninth at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. "And really just hit the ball the right distance. I gave myself a lot of chances on the greens."

Palmer, who has split time between the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour, recorded two birdies on his first nine, the back nine at Sugarloaf. He netted three birdies in a row from the second, including tap-ins at two and four.

Palmer joined the logjam at minus-six with a seven-footer at the seventh.

"My control was spot on and my short game was good today and I drove the ball great," said Palmer. "When I needed to make a 10-footer I made one. So I'm going to sleep good tonight."

Kaye, who has not played since New Orleans in the last week of March, picked up three birdies in his first seven holes. He hit into the water at four, but was able to save par.

Kaye finished with three birdies in his final five holes for a share of the lead.

Kaye missed a chunk of last season after toe surgery. He's playing on a medical extension and after walking a difficult track like Sugarloaf, there was some discomfort.

"It's sore right now," admitted Kaye. "So I'll go get some treatment on it and hopefully I will feel a little better later when I get some time to rest it."

McLachlin started on the 10th tee Thursday and mixed three birdies and a bogey over his opening nine holes. He picked up four birdies in his first six on the second nine, but found himself in a tough spot on the ninth tee.

With the rain intensifying, McLachlin waited almost an hour on the ninth tee. Groups in front of him needed rulings and some had to return to the tee. McLachlin ended up with a par on the hole.

"You get your heart rate going then you sit for 45 minutes or an hour and you get cold," said McLachlin. "I just tried to stay loose and not think about the shot until it was actually time to tee my ball up and then start thinking about it. Because it's not one you want to sit there thinking about for an hour."

David Toms, Charles Howell III, Ted Purdy and Bob Sowards are knotted in sixth place at minus-five.

Defending champion Zach Johnson shot a three-under 69 and is part of a group tied for 20th place.

Goydos only managed a one-over 73 on Thursday after losing a playoff to Sergio Garcia at The Players Championship.

Greg Norman, making a rare appearance on the PGA Tour, designed the TPC at Sugarloaf. That knowledge did not help the two-time British Open champion. He shot an eight-over 80.