AUCHTERARDER, Scotland, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Playing partners Knut Borsheim and Brett Rumford are tied for the lead after Thursday's first round of the European Tour's Johnnie Walker Championship.
Borsheim had five birdies and Rumford six birdies and one bogey as they shot 5-under-par 67 at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland.
Five players, including Paul Lawrie, are tied for third at 4-under. None of those players was bogey-free Thursday but Lawrie had to overcome three bogeys to stay within one stroke of the leaders.
Five more players are at 3-under.
Borsheim had a very steady round. He had a birdie at the second hole and made the turn at 2-under after adding a birdie at No. 7. He had a birdie at 10 and got into a share of the lead with a birdie at 14. Borsheim matched Rumford with a birdie at 18 for the first-round lead.
Rumford had back-to-back birdies at Nos. 2 and 3 and again at 8 and 9. He made birdie at 16 before his lone bogey at the 17th hole. He also closed with a birdie.
They were among 55 players who had birdies at the 513-yard, par-5 18th.
