Brand Junior shares lead at PGA Seniors Championship

Bristol-based Scot Gordon Brand Jnr quickly readjusted to Slaley Hall's Hunting Course, where he made a memorable European Senior Tour debut last year, as he fired a three-under-par 69 for a four-way share of the lead in The De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship.

The former Ryder Cup player finished runner-up to namesake Gordon J Brand after an epic six-hole play-off in 2008, narrowly missing out on becoming the youngest Senior Tour winner, just five days after turning 50.

Brand carded four birdies and just a single bogey – on his final hole of the day – to match the clubhouse target set earlier by South African Jeff Hawkes and American John Benda.

Paraguay's Angel Franco then joined the trio at the top of the leaderboard after he three- putted the 18th to also finish three under par.

Having finished 30th in the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open last week, Brand Jnr said he was considerably more satisfied with his game following an impressive opening round in Northumberland.

"I played very solidly today but bogeyed my last hole, the ninth, which was a tough hole, but I had better control today," he said.

"It is a course to my liking but there is a long way to go yet. I've been struggling with my game and nothing has been consistent.

"I have a bad round and then finish off quite well, but today was as good as it has been for a while so I'm very pleased."

Fellow Players Club member George Ryall, of Bristol, opened with a two-over-par 74.

Meanwhile, in the first round of the PGA European Tour BMW International Open, in Munich, Nailsea's Chris Wood posted a solid one-under-par 71.

Clevedon's John Morgan struggled on his return to Tour action as he finished down the field after a three-over-par 75.

South African Retief Goosen leads on eight under par.