Exactly a week after tering off first at Muirfield and Australia’s evergreen Peter Senior is just one off the lead in the British Senior Open at Royal Birkdale.
Senior posted a three under par 69 on the famed Lancashire links gem to be sharing second place with three others and just one shot behind American Gene Sauers.
The Savanaah based Saures birdied three holes in succession from his 15th in a three under par 67.
Senior carded a 68 to be tied in second with Philippines Franki Minoza, South African David Frost and former champion and double Masters winner, Bernhard Langer of Germany.
The Queensland-born Senior continues using the controversial long-handled putter than was handed to him by Scotland’s Sam Torrance many decades ago.
Senior has used the putter throughout his career earning millions around the globe including capturing last year’s Emirates Australian Open in Sydney and becoming the oldest-ever winner of the famed Stonehaven Trophy.
However his ‘broomstick’ putter wasn’t as quite on song on an overcast day on the west coast of England.
“I still struggled with the putter but I did manage to keep out of trouble,” he said.
“I played a practice round on Tuesday with Brad Faxon and talked with him about the set-up so that seemed to help.
Aussie Peter Senior hits the opening tee shot of the 2013 Open.
“Also I’ve got my coach Gary Edwin with me and that has has helped.
“The course is in great shape and the greens are good and it’s just a great golf championship.”
Three birdies in the final four holes handed 2010 Champion Bernhard Langer a share of the lead midway through the first round at the Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex.
Langer, who won this title at Carnoustie three years ago and came close again at Turnberry in 2012, signed for a two under par 68.
One shot further back following a bright, breezy and testing opening morning in Southport were a group on one under par including 2010 US Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin and 2012 runner-up Gary Hallberg.
The two-time Major winner German was one over par for the day through 14, having looked rock solid in making 13 pars and just the one drop to that point, but the German put his foot down over the closing four holes to finish strong, birdieing the par five 15th and 17th before a wonderful approach to eight feet at the last set up a finish with a flourish.
“How I finished was very pleasing because 18 is not a simple hole,” said Langer, who eventually finished tied sixth last year after leading by one with 18 to play.
“I wasn’t totally happy with my first seven or eight holes, because I had a number of chances to make birdies, and just didn’t putt well.
“But it was very tight. I played very well off the tee and into the greens and gave myself opportunities, kept it out of these pot bunkers and out of the long grass. I had opportunities and finally the putter started working at the end.”
It was also a remarkable round and finish for Minoza.
Having opened with a bogey at the first and a triple bogey at the third, the seven-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour traversed the back nine in 31 blows, gaining shots at four of the last five holes to also finish two under for the day.
He said: “I stayed patient today which is important as I’m still learning how to play the links courses. You never know what the weather is going to do but I like it because you have to learn how to hit the ball low, how to hit a high ball, how to putt 50 yards off the green.”
Frost, meanwhile, hit a splendid second to three feet at the par five 17th to set up an eagle en route to his two under par total, while Senior could have led out right but for a bogey at the 18th after three wayward shots.
Colin Montgomerie, making his Senior Open debut this week playing alongside defending champion Fred Couples and 1998 Open Champion Mark O’Meara, started his campaign with five straight pars,but dropped three shots in a row from the 10th before a birdie at 16 on route to a two over par 72.
