WALTON ON THE HILL, England — Mark Calcavecchia defied the afternoon rain to shoot a bogey-free 68 and forge 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 had two birdies on either side of the turn before parring the final five holes. Calcavecchia was joined at 4-under by Mark McNulty and Mike Harwood.
David Frost and Albert MacKenzie were a shot behind, with defending champion Bernhard Langer, one of seven players who shot 70.
Tom Watson (75), Gary Player and Bob Charles are the other players to have won British Open doubles.
Footnotes.
Kris Blanks shot a 3-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead over 11 players after the first-round at the Canadian Open in Vancouver, British Columbia.
• Swedish amateur Robert Karlsson shot a 5-under 67 to share the lead with countryman Alexander Noren and Jaco Van Zyl after the first round of the Nordea Masters in Stockholm.
• Karen Stupples, Maria Hjorth and Ahn Shin-ae share the first-round lead of the Evian Masters in France at 5-under 67.
