On the links Thursday

On the links Thursday

PGA St. Jude Classic

MEMPHIS, TENN.

Ryan Palmer, Brooks Koepka and Greg Owen each shot 6-under 64 for a three-way tie atop the leaderboard after the opening round of the St. Jude Classic. Palmer, a three-time PGA Tour winner, turned in a bogey-free round with six birdies in the afternoon to join Koepka and Owen atop the leaderboard. Koepka, who won in Phoenix earlier this year, matched his low round of 2015 with eight birdies and two bogeys, while Owen shot his best round this year with a bogey-free round featuring six birdies. Scott Brown, Steven Alker and Brian Davis each shot 65s. Defending champ Ben Crane tied four others with 66s.Boo Weekley was tied with six others at 67, and Phil Mickelson was in a group of 10 at 68.

LPGA KMPG Women’s PGA Championship

HARRISON, N.Y.

South Korean Jenny Shin shot a bogey-free, 7-under 66 for a one-stroke lead after the opening round at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the second major of the season. Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson had a three-putt bogey on the final hole (9) to drop a shot back after Shin birdied No. 18 at the Westchester Country Club. Shin had five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 15th. The 17-year-old Henderson, playing on a sponsor exemption, eagled the par-5 12th. Hall-of-Famer Karrie Webb birdied three of the first four holes and finished at 68. The 40-year-old, who started on the back nine, had a bogey-free round until she dropped a shot on the seventh. Americans Brittany Lincicome, Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis were in a large group that finished four strokes back at 70 in steamy weather with temperatures that reached the mid-80s. Lincicome, the winner of the first major at the ANA Inspiration in April, eagled the par-5 15th and followed with a birdie on 16. Two-time defending champion Inbee Park shot a 71. Top-ranked teenager Lydia Ko was another stroke back, and Suzann Pettersen, coming off a win in Canada, finished at 74. Shin, who is seeking her first major, had three birdies on the front nine and slowly moved up the leaderboard and caught Webb, a seven-time major winner.

SENIORS

Players Championship

BELMONT, MASS.

Bernhard Langer shot four birdies on the final five holes to tie a course record with a 6-under-par 65 in the first round of the Senior Players Championship. The tournament’s 2014 winner bogeyed twice but also had four birdies on the front nine. Guy Boros, Lee Janzen, and Rocco Mediate finished the round in a three-way tie for second at 4-under-par 67.Boros birdied three of his final six holes. Janzen made five birdies on his first nine while Mediate opened with three birdies on his first four.Charles Schwab Cup points leader Colin Montgomery is three shots off the lead, and tied for fifth at 3-under-par 38.

Associated Press