BEACHWOOD, Ohio, May 21 (UPI) -- Scott Hoch opened his round with two birdies, shot a 4-under 66 and tied Tom Purtzer for the lead Thursday after one round of the Senior PGA Championship.
Only 10 players, including 59-year-old Tom Kite, could break par at the Canterbury Golf Club in the opening round of the first major event on the Champions Tour this year.
Hoch and Purtzer, neither of whom won a major title during their days on the regular tour, each fired a 4-under 66.
Bernhard Langer, the leading money winner on the Champions Tour and a two-time winner of the Masters, was alone in second at 68.
Kite, the winner of the U.S. Open 17 years ago who will turn 60 in December, was joined at 1-under by John Morse, Mark James, Joey Sindelar, Larry Mize, Gary Hallberg and Dana Quigley.
Defending champion Jay Haas shot a 71, Tom Watson was at 72 and Greg Norman fired a 73.
Hoch made birdie putts of 5 and 12 feet at the opening two holes, but he missed a chance to take the lead by himself with bogeys on the last two.
"I would say that if I wouldn't have stepped on myself, then I would have already been 6-under," Hoch said. "But I also realize that I played very well today, got the ball in the good position a number of times, and that might not happen the other days."
