Perry also enjoyed a similar run of success in 2003

Kenny Perry continued his fine run of form with a ninth straight round in the 60s on the opening day of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.

The American, 47, who has two PGA Tour wins and a sixth place in his last four starts, fired a six-under-par 65 to finish in a group one off the lead.

That is shared by Ken Duke and South Korea's Charlie Wi, who both missed the cut at last week's AT&T National.

Title holder Jonathan Byrd is one of 14 players three stokes off the lead.

Starting his day on the back nine, Perry opened with three consecutive birdies, and a bogey at six - his 15th hole of the day - was the only blemish on his card.

He missed a 15-foot birdie putt on his final hole that would have put him in a tie for first.

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Perry's performance was even more remarkable given that he was unable to get back to sleep after being woken up by a fire alarm at his hotel at 0330 BST.

He had a memorable four-tournament run in 2003, when he won the Colonial and Memorial back-to-back and tied for third at the US Open before taking first at the Greater Milwaukee Open a month later.

This streak is approaching the two-month mark. It started when he lost a play-off to Ryuji Imada at the AT&T Classic in May and continued with victories at the Memorial and Buick Open last month.

He usually plays well on those courses, and he will be at another favourite stop on the tour next week when he returns to Brown Deer Park in Milwaukee.

"They're all lined up one after another, and I think that's the reason why," said Perry when asked to explain this run.

Criticised for not going through 36-hole qualifying for the US Open the day after winning the Memorial, he then raised eyebrows by choosing to play in Milwaukee rather than go to the Open at Royal Birkdale.

"I've been getting hammered for it," admitted Perry, who added his main aim is to make the US Ryder Cup team to play Europe in September at Valhalla in his native Kentucky.

"That's the only goal I've got," he said.