OMAHA, July 11 (UPI) -- Kenny Perry, fresh off his first Champions Tour major title, became part of a seven-way tie for the lead Thursday in the opening round of the U.S. Senior Open.
Perry shot a 3-under 67 at the Omaha Country Club, as did Jay Don Blake, Michael Allen, Gary Hallberg, Tom Lehman, Mark O'Meara and Fred Funk.
Rocco Mediate, Bernhard Langer, Peter Senior and Chien Soon Lu were all a shot off the lead. Colin Montgomerie, playing his second tournament on the Champions circuit since turning 50, was in the group at 1-under 69.
Perry turned in a 19-under 261 to capture the Senior Players Championship on the last day of June. He has finished third or better in four of his last six tournaments, including a runner-up showing at the Senior PGA Championship.
Lehman is trying to capture the Senior Open after challenging for the regular U.S. Open title four consecutive years in the 1990s. He finished third, second, third and fifth beginning with the 1995 U.S. Open.
