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Kirk Triplett shoots record 62 in U.S. Senior Open

By The Sports Xchange
Kirk Triplett blasts from a sand trap at The Players Golf Championship in May. Triplett shot a record 62 in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open on Thursday. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI
Kirk Triplett blasts from a sand trap at The Players Golf Championship in May. Triplett shot a record 62 in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open on Thursday. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

Kirk Triplett matched the PGA Tour Champions major record with an 8-under 62 on Thursday in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open at Salem Country Club in Peabody, Mass.

Triplett, though, has company near the top as 2011 Senior Open champion Olin Browne Jr. shot a 63 and Doug Garwood carded a 64. Kenny Perry, Duffy Waldorf, Paul Goydos, Tom Lehman, Jerry Smith and England's Barry Lane are tied at 65.

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Waldorf aced the 149-yard third hole.

"Even though there's some red numbers on the board, if you got overly aggressive and you missed on the wrong side, you were cooked," Browne said. "The greens were receptive and the wind was down today, so the ball was going where we started it. But if you didn't hit good shots, you're going to pay a real penalty out here."

Germany's Bernhard Langer, who won the season's first two majors, is in a nine-way tie for 13th at 67.

Triplett started his round at No. 10 and was 4 under at the turn. His round was highlighted when he holed out with a 9-iron from 120 yards on the par-4, 341-yard fourth hole.

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"Today I just got some momentum," Triplett said. "At one point during the round, I said, 'OK, this is your day. Grab it. Go.'"

Triplett, 55, who is trying for his sixth Champions victory, birdied four of his first six holes. His chance for a 61 was denied when he missed a 10-footer for birdie at No. 9.

"It's Thursday night, and there's a whole bunch of guys that are really close," Triplett said. "So I'm more about the tournament than about the individual-rounds accomplishment. I just feel great to be in the thick of it."

Loren Roberts is the only other player to shoot 62 in the U.S. Senior Open, accomplishing the feat in the third round in 2006 at Prairie Dunes in Kansas en route to tying for eighth.

Bruce Fleischer won the U.S. Senior Open at even par in 2001, the last time the tournament was played at Salem CC.

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