Stephen Ames takes first-round lead at The Senior Open Championship

After the first round of The Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie, Charles Schwab No. 2 Stephen Ames holds a one-stroke lead over a quartet of players as he seeks his third win of the 2024 season.

Stephen Ames, 34-34 – 68 (-4)

• This is his 10th time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions
• Is 2-for-9 converting those into victories (0-for-3 in 72-hole events)
• The 60-year-old seeks his ninth win on PGA TOUR Champions (213th start)
  • Last win: 2024 Mitsubishi Electric Classic
• Seeks his third win of the 2024 season (16th start)
  • Previous wins: Chubb Classic (Feb. 16-18); Mitsubishi Electric Classic (April 26-28)
• With a win, he would match Ernie Els for the most wins by a player this season on PGA TOUR Champions (three)
• Entered the week No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Seeks his first major title on PGA TOUR Champions
• Best finish in a senior major: second (2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship)
• Making his sixth appearance at The Senior Open, he has one top-10 finish
  • Best finish: T3 (2018)

K.J. Choi, 34-35 – 69 (-3)

• The 54-year-old seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (80th start)
• Last win: 2021 PURE Insurance Championship
• Making his 16th start of the 2024 season, he has four top-10 finishes
• Best finish of 2024: T4 (two times; last: Kaulig Companies Championship)
• Making his second appearance at The Senior Open, he finished T14 in 2023

Peter Baker, 35-34 – 69 (-3)

• The 56-year-old seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (13th start)
  • Best finish: 11th (2024 U.S. Senior Open)
• Making his fourth PGA TOUR Champions start in 2024, his best finish is 11th (U.S. Senior Open)
• Making his sixth appearance at The Senior Open, his best finish is T32 (2021)

Richard Green, 35-34 – 69 (-3)

• This is the fourth consecutive senior major he has been inside the top three after the first round
  • Was T1 at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
  • Was T1 at the U.S. Senior Open
  • Was T3 at the Kaulig Companies Championship
  • Currently T2 at The Senior Open
• The 53-year-old seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (45th start)
  • Best finish: second (two times; last: 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship)
• Making his 16th start of the 2024 season, he has four top-10 finishes
  • Best finish of 2024: 2nd (KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship)
• Entered the week No. 5 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Making his third appearance at The Senior Open, his best finish is T7 (2023)
  • Finished T4 at the 2007 Open Championship, which was played at Carnoustie
  • Carded the low score of the final round with 64

Paul Broadhurst, 38-31 – 69 (-3)

• The 58-year-old seeks his seventh win on PGA TOUR Champions (191st start)
• Last win: 2024 Invited Celebrity Classic
• Seeks his second win of the 2024 season (17th start)
• Entered the week No. 9 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Seeks his second title at The Senior Open Championship (eighth start)
• Won in 2016, which was also held at Carnoustie

Other Notes

• 50-year-old Scott Hend (6th) played his first 11 holes in 2-over before playing his final seven holes in 4-under en route to 70. Making his second start in a PGA TOUR Champions event, he finished T4 at the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in his debut.
• Two-time runner-up (2022, 2023) Padraig Harrington carded 1-under 71 and sits T7. The World Golf Hall of Fame member won the 2007 Open Championship held at Carnoustie.
• After opening with 10 consecutive pars, Charles Schwab No. 3 Steven Alker (T7) played his final eight holes in 1- under.
• In addition to Harrington and Alker, the group sitting T7 at 1-under includes 10 other players.
• 1995 Open Championship winner John Daly withdrew before the start of the first round.