SOUTHPORT, England — Gene Sauers mastered a stiff breeze to shoot a 3-under 67 Thursday for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Senior British Open.
The 50-year-old Savannahian had all pars on the front nine for a 34 at sunny Royal Birkdale. He then birdied the 10th and bogeyed the 11th. His three successive birdies from the 15th left him at 33 for the back nine.
“I hit a lot of solid shots in the wind, so it didn’t really mess with me too much,” Sauers said. “I’m really pleased with the way I played. This is only my third British Open and it’s a great privilege and honor to be here.”
Four players were at 68, among them 2010 British Senior Champion Bernhard Langer. The German was joined by South Africa’s David Frost, Australia’s Peter Senior and Frankie Minoza of the Philippines. Only 10 of the 144 players bettered par.
Sauers is 23rd on the Champions Tour money list and has made 11 cuts from 11 starts this year with two second-place finishes and a third.
Sauers is making his first career appearance in the Senior Open Championship after having played twice in the Open Championship during his PGA Tour career. Sauers tied for 52nd at Royal Troon in 1989 and tied for 88th at St. Andrews in 1995.
His best performance in the previous four majors on the Champions Tour this year was a tie for 15th at the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek.
“I try not to think about being another major — I’m just thinking about me and the course,” Sauers said in an email to Elmo Weeks of the Savannah Morning News. “Links-style courses makes you concentrate a little harder. I just need to stay patient and play for pars, and the birdies will come.”
His 67 on Thursday was his best first-round score this year in a stroke-play event. His previous best was 2-under 69 on Thursday at the Constellation Senior Players Championship.
“I had plenty of chances for birdies on the front but did not capitalize,” Sauers said. “On the back nine, I hit 1 foot away on 10 for birdie but then made a bogey on 11. The wind was blowing harder on the back and I hit an 8-iron from 127 on hole 15 for birdie, and then on 16 I almost flew a 4-iron in the hole and made another birdie. Then on 17, I hit a hybrid from 240 within 10 feet for eagle but hit a poor putt. Overall, I hit the ball solid all day, and that’s what was good about today.”
This marks the first time Sauers has ever been a leader or co-leader after the first round on the Champions Tour. The last time he led after play on Thursday on the PGA Tour was at the 1997 LaCantera Texas Open. He shared the first-round lead at the 1992 PGA Championship at Bellerive and ended up tied for second — his best career performance in a major.
Sauers won three times on the PGA Tour — his last title coming at the 2002 Air Canada Championship. He also won on the Web.com Tour in 1998 at the South Carolina Classic.
At 69 were former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin and fellow Americans Gary Hallberg, John Cook and Jeff Hart as well as Australia’s Peter Fowler.
Defending champion Fred Couples and Mark O’Meara, who won the 1998 British Open at Birkdale, shot 74s. Colin Montgomerie, their playing partner and a senior rookie, was two strokes better.
Tom Kite, Steve Pate, Mark Wiebe, Rocco Mediate, Steve Jones and Tom Pernice Jr. were among a large group at 70 along with Scotland’s Sandy Lyle, Ireland’s Mark McNulty and New Zealand’s Greg Turner.
Elmo Weeks of the Savannah Morning News contributed to this report.