CHAMPIONS TOUR
BRIDGEND, Wales -- Bernhard Langer made a statement of intent when he opened with a 6-under-par 65 to take a two-stroke lead over American Bob Tway in the British Senior Open at a sweltering Royal Porthcawl on Thursday.
Langer, who threw away a two-stroke lead on the final hole at Royal Birkdale last year and then was beaten for the title in a playoff, was out in a best-of-the-day 31.
He birdied the third, fourth, sixth and eighth holes, and went 5 under when he birdied the long 13th. He dropped a shot at the 16th but then hit back immediately with birdies at the two closing holes.
"Six under is very satisfying," Langer said. "I played smart, some good, some great."
Langer is trying to add a second British Senior title to the one he won at Carnoustie in 2010.
Tway set the early target at 4-under 67, with birdies at the first, sixth, 12th and 13th, and no dropped shots.
"It was a pleasure to play a nice round of golf on a great golf course," Tway said. "I probably should have bogeyed a couple of holes coming in, but I got lucky."
Chris Williams of England was alone in third on a bogey-free 68 with birdies at Nos. 2, 4 and 6, while Andrew Oldcorn of Scotland was a stroke behind in fourth. Spain's Pedro Linhart and Canadian Rick Gibson were tied for fifth on 70.
Mark Wiebe, who beat Langer in last year's playoff and played with him in the first round, carded a 5-over 76.
Colin Montgomerie, bidding for his third successive seniors' major, was on 74 with just two birdies, and three dropped shots.
Tom Watson had a roller-coaster front nine of 1-over 36, steadied the ship for five holes after the turn, then dropped three strokes on successive holes before birdieing the last for a 3-over 74.
On the way out he birdied the first, dropped a stroke at the next three holes, parred No. 5, birdied the sixth, dropped a stroke at the seventh, birdied the eighth, and parred the ninth.
The winner at Royal Birkdale two years ago, Fred Couples, was out in 39 after a triple-bogey eight at the long sixth, but stormed back with a birdie-eagle-birdie run from the 12th to get back to level, dropped a stroke at the 16th, and birdied the last to be back in 32 for a par 71.
PGA TOUR
Petrovic, Putnam tied
MONTREAL -- Tim Petrovic and Michael Putnam shared the first-round lead in the Canadian Open on Thursday, shooting 6-under 64 in sunny, breezy afternoon conditions at rain-softened Royal Montreal.
The 47-year-old Petrovic was the last player to get in the field, grabbing a spot when Benjamin Alvarado withdrew Tuesday. Petrovic eagled the par-5 12th hole and had four birdies in his bogey-free round. He won his lone PGA Tour title in New Orleans in 2005.
The 31-year-old Putnam had six birdies in a bogey-free round, hitting 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation. Winless on the PGA Tour, Putnam won twice on the Web.com Tour last year and topped the regular-season money list.
Canadian amateur Taylor Pendrith and Kyle Stanley were a stroke back, and former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, Nick Watney and Robert Allenby topped the group at 66. The 23-year-old Pendrith, making his first PGA Tour start, is coming off his senior season at Kent State.
Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had six birdies, one bogey and a double bogey on the 18th for a 3-under 70. He's tied for 16th in a pack with Bryce Molder (Conway), who had five birdies and two bogeys for his 70.
David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) had two birdies and three bogeys for a 1-over 71. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) had four birdies, two bogeys and a triple bogey for a 1-over 71.
John Daly (Dardanelle, Razorbacks) shot a 6-over 76, placing him near the bottom of the field.
WEB.COM TOUR
Haley in front
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Paul Haley II had an eagle, eight birdies, one bogey and a double bogey for a 7-under 64, good enough for the lead Thursday in the Web.com Tour's Midwest Classic.
Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) is in a four-way tie for second. He had six birdies for a 6-under 65.
Jarrod Lyle shot a 4-under 67 in the Australian's first U.S. event since his second bout with leukemia. The 32-year-old Lyle, travelling with wife Briony and 2-year-old daughter Lusi, had four front-nine birdies in his bogey-free round at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate.
Glen Day (Little Rock) had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey for a 1-under 70.
LPGA TOUR
Taiwan sweeps U.S.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Yani Tseng made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to give Taiwan a sweep of the top-seeded United States in the opening round of the International Crown.
Tseng and Phoebe Yao never trailed in a 1-up victory over Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Lexi Thompson. Earlier, Candie Kung and Teresa Lu beat Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr 4 and 3.
Each team receives two points for a victory and one for a tie. After two more rounds of better-ball pool play, the top two in each pool and the winner of a playoff between the third-place teams will play singles Sunday.
Today, the United States (0 points) will face Spain (3) in Pool A, and Taiwan (4) will take on Thailand (1). In Pool B, Japan (3) will face South Korea (2), and Australia (2) will play Sweden (1).
EUROPEAN TOUR
Horsey leads by 1
MOSCOW -- England's David Horsey birdied four of his final six holes for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Russian Open.
Scotland's Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford were tied for second. Former French Open tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, one of 10 Russians in the field, had an 83.
Sports on 07/25/2014