| -5 MA Jimenez (Spa); -3 A Cejka (Ger), M Tiziani (USA); -2 JM Singh (Ind), V Singh (Fij); -1 T Gillis (USA); P Broadhurst (Eng), M Reale (Ita), P Lawrie (Sco), S Alker (NZ), J Sandelin (Swe) |
| Selected others: E B Dredge (Wal); +1 P Price (Wal), C Montgomerie (Sco); +2 D Clarke (NI); +4 I Woosnam (Wal), S Dodd (Wal), P Harrington (Ire), R Beem (USA); +9 JM Olazabal (Spa) |
Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a five under par 66 to lead on day one of the Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl.
Jimenez is two shots clear of Germany’s Alex Cejka and USA’s Marip Tiziani and three ahead of Vijay Singh and Jeev Milka Singh.
Bradley Dredge leads the home challenge at level par.
“I am playing very solid from tee to green and also on the green, so every part of the game is working very well,” said 2018 champion Jimenez.
“There was only one mistake, one bogey. That was the one bad shot I hit today. But the rest of the game is really solid.
“It’s the way to play in these conditions.”
Four-time winner Bernhard Langer – who has triumphed in the two previous Senior Opens held at Royal Porthcawl – is alongside reigning champion Darren Clarke at two over par.
Dredge, making his Legends Tour debut having turned 50 this month, birdied the last for a round of 71, one shot better than fellow countryman Phil Price.
Two more Welsh players, Ian Woosnam and Stephen Dodd, finished at four over alongside the likes of Padraig Harrington, Rich Beem and KJ Choi.
England’s Paul Broadhurst, the 2016 champion, is at one under alongside 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, Tom Gillis, Michele Reale, Jarmo Sandelin and Steven Alker.
