8am Round-Up: Bernhard Langer leads again in Senior major

Bernhard Langer opened with a seven-under 65 in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Washington DC. Picture: AP

Langer matched Nicklaus’ record of eight Senior majors with a victory in the Regions Tradition in Alabama last weekend.

Now the 59-year-old is chasing yet another of those coveted titles after bursting out of the blocks in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club in Washington DC.

The German carded a seven-under 65, eagling the 18th hole to take the outright lead, before play was suspended during the first round.

The effort earned Langer a two-shot clubhouse lead in his bid to become the first player to win all five Senior majors.

“I was pretty pleased,” said Langer. “I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens and gave myself opportunities.

“I missed a couple of chances early on, on two and three, where I had birdie putts from not too far.”

Two-time winner Colin Montgomerie was three-under with two to play before dropping his only shot of the day at the 17th as he opened with a 70 to sit joint-15th.

Sandy Lyle is also sitting on two-under after 11 holes while Andrew Oldcorn, the third Scot in the field, had to settle for a 77.

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Scott Jamieson leads the Scottish challenge heading into the second round of the $7 million BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

It followed the Glaswegian getting off to a great start in the inaugural Rolex Series event with a five-under 67 to sit a shot behind pacesetter Johan Carlsson from Sweden.

Jamieson, who has been playing a lot better this season after coming close to losing his card at the end of last year, bagged five birdies in a flawless effort on the revamped West Course.

Richie Ramsay was the next best among the Scots with a three-under 69 that woukd have been better but for a bogey-6 at the 17th.

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Jordan Spieth continued to struggle for top form as he finished five shots off the lead in the first round of the Dean & Deluca Invitational.

It could have been worse for the defending champion as he closed his round with back-to-back birdies to finish level par, after a double bogey on the 15th had been followed by another dropped shot on the 16th.

Two-time major winner Spieth has missed the cut at his last two events but had hoped a return to form was on the cards in his home state of Texas.

In contrast, Graeme McDowell made a strong start with a four-under 66 that left him a shot behind joint leaders Derek Fathauer, JT Poston and Kelly Kraft.

Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson is one of six Americans lying a further shot adrift after he birdied the last three holes, while Masters champion Sergio Garcia is five shots back after an opening 69.

Martin Laird, the sole Scot in the field, opened with a 73 to sit in a share of 75th spot.

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Former Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Stacy Lewis shares the lead after the opening round of the LPGA Volvik Championship.

Her seven-under-par 65 at Ann Arbor in Michigan was matched by Taiwan’s Wei-Ling Hsu on a day when Catriona Matthew shot a 70 to sit joint-40th.

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Robert MacIntyre and Craig Ross both got off to promising starts in the Brabazon Trophy at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire.

Glencruitten left-hander MacIntyre carded a five-under 68, two shots better than Kirkhill’s Ross, as the pair both ended the opening day inside the top 10.

Two shots off the lead, held by Englishman Todd Clements, MacIntyre is joint-fourth, with Ross sharing 10th position.

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Chris Doak is the leading Scot, sitting five shots off the lead in joint-17th, after the opening round of the D+D Real Czech Challenge.

The Turnhouse-attached player shot a three-under 69, two shots better than three of his compatriots - Grant Forrest, Bradley Neil and Ross Kellett.

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European Tour player Scott Henry showed his class by producing a great round to win a Big Jonhson’s Tour event at Caldwell.

He shot an eight-under-par 63, which included two eagles, in winning by two shots from Conor O’Neil in a field that also included Andrew McArthur (66).