ON THE LINKS Thursday’s pro golf results

CHAMPIONS TOUR

Toms, Stricker share U.S. Senior Open lead

SOUTH BEND, IND.

Defending champion David Toms was looking for a good start in the U.S. Senior Open. Steve Stricker was looking for a fresh start.

Both got what they wanted Thursday with rounds of 8-under 62 to share the lead in an opening round that yielded a record number of scores under par on rain-softened Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame.

Toms had 10 birdies, a record for the U.S. Senior Open, playing in the morning. They were two strokes ahead of Kirk Triplett and Jerry Kelly.

Stricker has split his time this season playing the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions, where he won his only major in the Regions Tradition last month. He had to put behind him the disappointment of last week at the American Family Insurance Championship — the Champions event he hosts in Madison, Wisconsin — when Stricker missed the winning putt and then lost in a playoff won by Kelly.

PGA TOUR

Lashley starts, finishes strong at Detroit G.C.

DETROIT

Nate Lashley birdied the final three holes and five of the last six for a 9-under 63 and the first-round lead Thursday in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, the PGA Tour’s first event in Detroit.

The 36-year-old Lashley had the lowest score in his PGA Tour career, a day after getting a spot at Detroit Golf Club as an alternate. Ranked 353rd in the world and No. 132 in the FedEx Cup standings, Lashley’s only top-10 finish in his two-year PGA Tour career is a tie for eighth in the Puerto Rico Open in February.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Perez shoots 6-under 65 for first-round lead

SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN

Victor Perez leads defending champion Sergio Garcia and four others by one stroke after the opening round of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters on Thursday.

The Frenchman hit five birdies over a flawless round for a 6-under 65.

“I’m very pleased to keep the card clean, it’s one of the toughest places to do it,” Perez said. “We had a really good game plan going in to take advantage of the softer conditions.”

Tournament host Garcia is right behind Perez along with American Sihwan Kim, Swede Anton Karlsson, Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa, and Malaysian Gavin Green.

Garcia is seeking his fourth victory at Real Club Valderrama.

Associated Press