Funk leads Senior British Open

SUNNINGDALE, England, July 23 (UPI) -- Fred Funk shot an opening 6-under-par 64 Thursday and leads the Champions Tour Senior British Open golf tournament at Sunningdale, England, by two strokes.

The 53-year-old former University of Maryland golf coach, a four-time winner on the Champions Tour, made a surprising start after missing the cut at last week's PGA Tour's U.S. Bank Championship.

He finished the first 18 holes with birdies at 11, 12, 14, 17 and 18 and built a two-stroke lead over Jay Haas, Loren Roberts, Christopher Williams and Des Smyth.

"I felt I needed to shoot low to have a chance here," Haas said. "I felt like the scores were going to be good."

Among the golfers shooting 3-under 67 were Tom Watson, last week's headliner at the British Open in Turnberry, Tom Kite and Greg Norman.

"That was a big story last week for me," Watson said. "But here it's a different story this week. I've got to write it. Let's get on with it."

Bruce Vaughn, the defending champion, shot even-par 70 and is tied for 31st place.