Bernhard Langer takes 1st-round lead in Senior British Open

BRIDGEND, Wales – Bernhard Langer shot a 2-under 69 in wind and rain Thursday at Royal Porthcawl to take the first-round lead in the Senior British Open.

The 59-year-old German star had five birdies and three bogeys for a one-stroke lead over 64-year-old Carl Mason of England and Mauricio Molina of Argentina.

Langer has nine senior major titles. He won by 13 strokes the last time the tournament was held on the south Wales course, finishing at 18 under in 2014.

“I do like the golf course,” Langer said. “You can be aggressive at times and you’ve got to be cautious at other times. I think my game plan is pretty good. It’s just a matter of executing the shots and the putts.”

Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie was two strokes at 71 back along with Americans Tom Lehman, Billy Mayfair, Tom Pernice Jr. and Billy Andrade, Australians Peter Lonard and Peter Fowler, France’s Jean-Francois Remesy and South Africa’s Chris Williams. Tom Watson and John Daly topped the group at 72.