Brian Jones has shot a first round 68 to lead the Titanium Enterprises Australian PGA Seniors Championship by five strokes after day one and is the only player to shoot under par in windy conditions at Club Pelican Golf.
Jones, was pleased with his first round score where he shot birdies on the par 5, 3rd hole, par 3 6th, and par 5 8th on and followed it up with birdies on 12 and 15. The only blemish on Jones’ card came on the last hole of the day where he had a bogey.
"I'm very pleased. I've struggled for probably half a year, especially with my first-round scores. They haven't been too good at all.” Jones said. “I like the wind and I always seem to play well in the wind so it didn't worry me that it blew a bit this morning.”
2000 Champion Barry Vivian of New Zealand and Col Bice of Emerald in Central Queensland shot the next best scores of the day with a one over par, 73.
Defending champion John Clifford started the day well on the back nine but soon found trouble on the difficult 17th and 18th where he bogeyed both holes.
“I had it going okay, three-under with two to go on the first nine, and then hit some dumb shots. I bogeyed 17 and 18, both with bad tee shots, then lost a ball on the first and took a double there.
"In three holes, I'd gone from three-under to one-over and it was a bit of a struggle after that.''
Kennedy Tutisai from Western Australia had a hole-in-one on the par 3, 14th but unfortunately could not capitalise on his good work and followed up with a triple bogey on 15.
With three days of golf still to play Jones’ lead of five is still easily made up.
Clifford said his seven-shot deficit was not something to be too concerned about after day one, suggesting that Club Pelican was a course where plenty of ground could be made up quickly.
"If the wind stays like this it could be on the cards that over-par might win,'' he said.
"If you can stay out of trouble, and try not to think about bad things happening, you can make up some ground.''
The Titanium Enterprises Australian PGA Seniors Championship will be played over four rounds with the Championship concluding on Sunday afternoon.
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