Something borrowed ... but
Longmuir certainly not
feeling blue after 67 in
Russian Seniors Open

From Colin Callander, Seniors Tour Press Officer
Anglo-Scot Bill Longmuir carded a five under par 67 with a borrowed set of clubs to move into a share of the lead with Welshman, Ian Woosnam, and England’s Jeff Hall after the first round of the Pestovo Russian Seniors Open at Pestovo Golf & Yacht Club near Moscow.
Longmuir, picture right by courtesy of Andy Forman, lost his luggage in transit to Russia and as a result had to borrow a set of clubs from Pestovo’s Scottish Director of Golf, Stephen Dundas, winner of the 1992 British amateur chamionship at Carnoustie.
Bill also had to wear a pair of training shoes belonging to his son and caddie, Callum, but that did not stop him recording four birdies and a dramatic eagle at the 537-yard par-5 ninth where he hit a three wood into the green and then holed out from 55 feet.
“Under the circumstances, that’s got to be one of my best rounds of the season,” said the man who won the seventh Seniors Tour title of his career at the season-opening DGM Barbados Open at Royal Westmoreland.
“Stephen lent me a set of Titleists the same as mine but the lofts and lies were different so they took a bit of getting used to. Mind you, I played pretty decently so maybe it won’t be too much of a hardship if my own set doesn’t turn up in time for tomorrow.”
Woosnam, who leads Bernhard Langer by a mere €45 at the top of the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit, looked all set to take the outright lead when he opened his round with six birdies in his first 14 holes but he three-putted the 457yd par-4 16th to drop into a tie with Longmuir and Hall.
“It was a good solid round,” said the Welsh former Ryder Cup captain. “I started pretty strongly but lost a bit of concentration when the pace of play slowed up coming home. However, I’m in a great shape to make a move tomorrow.”
It was also a good day for Scotland’s John Chillas who moved into a share of fifth place with a two under par 70. Further down the leaderboard, Sam Torrance and Ross Drummond both recorded one over par 73s, one better than Mike Miller, while Martin Gray shot 76.
“It is one of those days,” said Torrance. “I hit the ball as well as I’ve done for years but couldn’t buy a putt. It’s all a bit frustrating.”
FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72
67 J Hall (Eng), B Longmuir (Sco), I Woosnam (Wal).
68 N Job (Eng).
70 P Oakley (USA), S Owen (NZ), A Franco (Par), J Chillas (Sco), D Merriman (Aus), B Smit (SAf).
71 J Mashego (SA), K Spurgeon (Eng), J Bruner (US), D O’Sullivan (Ire), B Cameron (Eng), D J Russell (Eng).

72 J P Sallat (Fr), B Lincoln (SAf), E Darcy (Ire), A Murray (Eng), G J Brand (Eng), D. Good (Aus), M Bembridge (Eng), J Heggarty (Ire), G. Cali (Ita), T Rastall (Eng), P. Dugeny (Fr).
73 B Larratt (Eng), J Lapsley (NZ), M. Poxon (Eng), J Benda (US), G. Watine (Fra), G Encina (Chi), R Drummond (Sco), J Quiros (Sp), J Colbert (US), S Torrance (Sco), T Gale (Aus), J. Rivero (Sp), B. Charles (NZ), C. Mason (Eng), J Bland (SAf), C Rocca (Ita), L Carbonetti (Arg), T Johnstone (Zim).

74 H Carbonetti (Arg), N Ratcliffe (Aus), T Giedeon (Ger), B Heuchan (Can), I Mosey (Eng), S Stull (US), B Boyd (US), V Garcia (Spa), J Hoskison (Eng), M Miller (Sco), J Rhodes (Eng), E Rodriguez (Spa).
75 M Piñero (Spa), T Charnley (Eng), A Fernandez (Chi).
76 P Teravainen (US), T Price (Wal), A Garrido (Spa), E Polland (NIr), M Gray (Sco), A Croce (Ita).
77 M Galway (Eng).
78 D Durnian (Eng), T Allen (Eng).

79 A Barrera (Arg).
80 G Levenson (SAf).

81 T Horton (Eng).