This will be a 4 a.m. alarm Ryan Palmer has no problems setting.

When the four-time PGA TOUR winner was offered the chance to hit the first PGA TOUR shot in nearly three months at Thursday’s opening round of the Charles Schwab Challenge this week, he jumped at it.

TOUR officials saw Palmer as a natural fit for the honor at Colonial Country Club, where he will officially mark the return to golf after the COVID-19 pandemic suspended TOUR competition in March after the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship.

Palmer is a resident of the area and has always been a great ambassador for the tournament. He is a member at Colonial Country Club and also a member of the TOUR’s Player Advisory Council (PAC) that has worked tirelessly along with staff to make a return to competition a reality.

Palmer has also been on the forefront in charitable giving, starting "Pros For A Purpose" during the pandemic to ensure the charities of cancelled PGA TOUR tournaments were still being supported.

“I thought what a cool moment and an honor for sure,” Palmer said when recounting the call he received with the offer. “It was a very, very nice gesture, and I was very honored to be asked to do it. I think it's going to be great, and I'm so excited to be the first guy to hit that first shot in our return to golf.”

It means a 6:50 a.m. tee time on Thursday morning when he will be joined by Brian Harman and former FedExCup champion Bill Haas. Palmer’s victory at the 2019 Zurich Classic of New Orleans usually ensures, as a recent TOUR winner, that his time window is a little more friendly on his sleeping habits. So he had to agree to be moved. It wasn’t a hard decision.

Palmer has four top-10 finishes at Colonial Country Club in 16 attempts at the Charles Schwab Challenge, including a T6 last season. He now seeks what would be a very popular victory in these parts, even if it came without onsite patrons.

The 43-year-old has been fortunate enough to have Colonial and nearby Carrolton Golf Club at his disposal for practice and play during the pandemic, sharpening his game.

“I've been playing golf every day since we stopped playing at THE PLAYERS,” Palmer said. “But I know I speak for a lot of players; this is a week everybody has been circled on their calendar and itching to get back out here.”

“It's time to get back to golf. It's going to be a huge success for the TOUR, for our fans, for the sporting world. We need live golf. America needs it. We need live sports. I think this week is going to be a very special, huge week for the sporting world.”