O'Connor equals record

ENGLAND'S Mike Slater shot his third course record in just over a month with a six-under-par 66 to share the first round lead…

ENGLAND'S Mike Slater shot his third course record in just over a month with a six-under-par 66 to share the first round lead in the Ordina Legends of Golf seniors championship at Prise d'Eau, near Tilburg.

His feat was matched by Irish club professional Arnold O'Connor and Australia's Terry Gale, the trio setting up a one-stroke advantage going into the second round.

O'Connor, 53, needed only 26 putts in accumulating seven birdies and just one bogey - a five at the first where he missed a green for the only time in the round.

It was good day for the Irisah with Kenny Stevenson shooting a four under par 68 while Tralee's Arthur Spring finished on 69. Liam Higgins is on two under par 70 and Denis O'Sullivan on one under par after a 71. Slater, a professional from the Portal club at Warrington, also set new course lows in the De Vere Seniors Classic at Ferndown (64) and the PGA Seniors at the Belfry (65).

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LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES: (Irish and Brit unless stated): 66 - A O'Connor, T Gale (Aus), M Slater. 67 - J Bruner (USA). 68 - J Rhodes, I Stanley (Aus), K Stevenson. 69 - R Campagnoli (Ita), A Spring, V Tshabalala (Rsa), T Persson (Swe), T Horton, F Gambetta (USA), J Garner. 70 - G MacDonald, I Richardson, T Downing (Aus), J McTear, M Bembridge, JR Delich (USA), A Garrido (Spa), L Higgins. 71 - A Croce (Ita), G Parslow (Aus), N Wood, D O'Sullivan, J Bjornsson (Swe) J Dorrestein (Ned), B Gallacher, D Huish, J Hudson, P Leonard, N Coles, N Job, D Creamer. 72 - B Hardwick (Can).