- WALTON ON THE HILL, England: Mark Calcavecchia defied the afternoon rain to shoot a bogey-free 68 and take a three-way share of the first-round lead at the Senior British Open on Thursday.
Bidding to become the fourth player to win both the British Open and the senior version, the 51-year-old American fired two birdies either side of the turn before parring the final five holes in a testing closing stretch.
Earlier, Ireland’s Mark McNulty and Australia’s Mike Harwood also shot 4 under in still, dry conditions on the parkland course at Walton Heath that hosted the 1981 Ryder Cup.
South Africa’s David Frost and unheralded Scot Albert MacKenzie were a shot behind, with defending champion Bernhard Langer of Germany one of seven players on 2 under.