Nine players tied for Wales Open lead

NEWPORT, Wales, May 31 (UPI) -- Last year's runner-up Paul Broadhurst was in a group of nine players tied for the lead after one round of the European Tour's Wales Open in Newport, Wales.

Broadhurst, Steve Alker, Soren Kjeldsen, Paul Lawrie, Gary Orr, Stephen O'Hara, Ricardo Gonzalez, Jose Manuel Lara and Brett Rumford all shot 4-under-par 65 at the Celtic Manor Resort.

A group of 13 players is tied for 10th place at 3-under 66.

The round was suspended because of persistent rain.

Defending champion Robert Karlsson, who last year opened with a sizzling 8-under 61, is tied for 99th place with 17 others at 2-over 71. Karlsson had scoring records for 36 holes (124) and 54 holes (189) on the way to a three-shot win over Broadhurst.