Posted
7-24-08
Romero, Vaughan share lead at Senior British Open
Ayrshire, Scotland (Sports Network) - Eduardo Romero and Bruce Vaughan opened with rounds of three-under 68 on Thursday to share the lead after the first round of the Senior British Open Championship.
Andy Bean, John Cook, Kirk Hanefeld and Nick Job are a shot off the lead at two-under 69, while defending champion Tom Watson leads a six-way tie for seventh place at one-under 71, a group that also includes Bernhard Langer.
Greg Norman, the third-round leader at last week's British Open before he finished six shots behind winner Padraig Harrington, struggled to a four-over 75 in the first round at Royal Troon.
"This golf tournament is like any other, you just need to hang in," said Norman, who tied for sixth place at the last Champions Tour major, the Senior PGA in May. "There's more than one round to a golf tournament."
Watson, who has won three of the last five Senior British Opens, said they weren't taking it easy on the "old people" this week. The 58-year-old Watson claimed one of his five British Open titles at this week's host course.
"It looks like they put the [tees] out where it's as far back as they were going to move them," said Watson, who won the 1982 Open at Royal Troon. "So we are going to play a pretty long and difficult golf course at here."
Despite the course's length -- it's playing over 7,000 yards -- Watson managed consistency in one statistical category.
"I didn't hit every fairway, but I hit every green today," said Watson. "I've never done that before. I hit 18 greens and I've putted for 18 birdies, but I don't think I've ever hit 18 greens on the tour ever in my life."
Less consistent was Vaughan, the 51-year-old Kansan who collected eight birdies in the first round -- but also had a double- and triple-bogey. Both bad holes were marked seven, but Vaughan was able to get the strokes back within six holes both times.
"It was either feast or famine today," said Vaughan, who has never won on the Champions Tour. "Outside of those two sevens, it was a good round."
Like Norman, Vaughan was cautious about his position after the first day. Scores can improve, certainly, but they can go in the opposite direction just as easily.
"It's just the first day," said Vaughan. "We've got a few more days left."
Romero, playing in a group that teed off more than five hours after Vaughan's, was much steadier in his afternoon round. A first-time major champion at the 2006 JELD-WEN Tradition, Romero collected four birdies with just one bogey to join Vaughan in the lead.
"It's probably my week. I think it's my week," said the confident Romero, who has not finished outside the top nine in the last four years. "I think it's more difficult than last year and a couple years ago. But I'm in good form and I feel strong and I feel good and I feel happy."
Langer, who has won twice on the Champions Tour this season, came close to claiming his first over-50 major in May, when Jay Haas won the toughest Senior PGA Championship in history with a seven-over score at brutal Oak Hill.
The two-time Masters champion, who finished one shot behind Haas, said it would mean a lot to win this week.
"It's not just for the resume," said Langer. "I've always had dreams of winning the British Open. It still would mean a lot to win this."
Watson and Langer were joined at one-under 71 by Gene Jones, Mark McNulty, John Morse and Joey Sindelar.
Craig Stadler was six shots off the lead at three-over 74, but may have been the biggest winner on Thursday. His hole-in-one at the 123-yard eighth hole was worth 123 bottles of wine.
"I just chipped a little pitching-wedge and there she was," said Stadler. "The wine is perfect as well. I'll have a little Shiraz evening I think."
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