Tommy Horton raced to the head of the elite Senior Tournament of Champions field with an opening round of 65 as he stepped up his attempt to win the European Order of Merit for a record fourth successive year.

The 58-year-old from Jersey, a winner of 22 events since joining the senior ranks in 1992, picked up six birdies and an eagle at Denham in Buckinghamshire to open up a three-shot lead in the grand finale to the 1999 tour.

His only blemish came on the tricky 17th, where his tee-shot found the water and he could do no better than a bogey five, although his seven-under-par total equalled the seniors course record.

Horton currently occupies the number one spot, having won twice this season, but he described this opening round as "the best I've played all year".

American Jerry Bruner, Horton's nearest rival, now needs a significant reversal of fortune if he is to claim the number one spot, although a run of five birdies in six holes from the ninth kept him in contention after a 69.

Three shots off the lead are England's Brian Waites and Scotland's David Huish.

Waites, back to his best after suffering from an asthma attack during the summer, shot a four=under-par 68 thanks to five birdies and an eagle on the par-five 14th.

Huish, with three runners-up finishes this season, needs to finish in the top three this week to qualify for the European Cup, the Ryder Cup-style match against the Ladies European Tour.

Victory has eluded the North Berwick professional so far this season, but five birdies and just the one bogey on the 16th left him within sight of Horton.