Haas, Barr share first round lead at US Senior Open

NEW YORK (Reuters) – American Jay Haas and Canada’s Dave
Barr carded matching three-under 67s for a share of the first
round lead at the U.S. Senior Open at Prairie Dunes Country
Club in Hutchinson, Kansas on Thursday.

D.A. Weibring, Mark James, Massy Kuramoto and Graham Marsh
sit a shot further back.

Haas, the Champions Tour money leader with three victories
this season, including the Senior PGA Championship, set the
tone for his day by following up a bogey at the fifth with
three consecutive birdies.

“Early in the round I wasn’t real sharp, but I got away
with a couple bad shots,” he told reporters. “Probably the key
shot of the day was an eight footer for bogey at number five.

“I hit it way right, hit it left, short of the green,
chipped up, not very good. And then make this putt for five to
keep me one over.

“Then I birdied the next three holes. And that little
stretch right there just kind of got me into it, and a double
there would have been not good on my psyche.

“So that was a key putt.”

Barr, who’s best finish on the senior circuit this season
was 38th, produced a polished effort mixing four birdies with a
single bogey.

“You are never totally comfortable at a U.S. Open,” said
Barr. “I just happened to keep it in play most of the day.

“I think I only missed two fairways. I missed maybe one or
two greens.”

Last year’s winner Allen Doyle opened his title defense
with a one-under 69 to sit two back of the leaders alongside
2003 champion Bruce Lietzke.

(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto)