New Zealand golfer Steven Alker sits in the top-10 after the opening round of The Senior Open Championship.
Alker is the best of the Kiwi trio that also includes Michael Long and Michael Campbell, in a share of seventh after a one-under 71 on day one at Carnoustie, Scotland on Thursday (Friday NZ Time).
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The 52-year-old paired three birdies with two bogeys to be three strokes behind the leader, Canadian Stephen Ames.
After 10 straight pars, Alker made back-to-back birdies at the par-four 11th and par-five 12th holes, however, he gave those shots back soon after with consecutive bogeys at the par-four 15th and par-three 16th.
Alker, who finished runner-up at the Regions Tradition, the first major of the year, and tied for seventh at the Senior Players Championship two weeks ago, will tee off his second round on Friday at 12.50pm (11.50pm NZT).
Long is a further three strokes behind Alker in a tie for 42nd after a two-over 74 that featured three birdies, two bogeys and a triple-bogey.
The 55-year-old, who plays on the Legends Tour in Europe, had a rough start, with bogeys at the fourth and eighth holes, and a triple-bogey at the par-five ninth to make the turn at four-over.
But he made birdies at the two par-fives on the back-nine, getting back to within six shots of the lead. He will go off in round two at 1.20pm (12.20am Saturday NZT).
Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion, mixed a solitary birdie with four bogeys in a three-over 75 on Thursday to be tied for 61st.
The front-nine was unkind to the 55-year-old, dropping shots at the fourth, seventh and ninth holes, all par-fours. He got a stroke back at the par-five 12th but gave another back at the par-four 17th.
He will tee off on Friday at 12.05pm (11.05pm NZT).