BILL LONGMUIR NOTCHES 20th HOLE IN ONE OF HIS CAREER

By NEIL AHERN, European Tour staff press officer

Bill Longmuir reached a special career landmark as he shot the 20th hole-in-one of his career on the way to a three under par 68 at the Casa Serena Open on Friday.

The 58 year old Anglo-Scot (pictured by Andy Forman) wasn’t aware that his seven iron tee shot at the 158 yard par three second hole had gone in after it received a relatively restrained applause from the following crowds at Casa Serena Golf in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, and he even walked to the green putter-in-hand.

But as he approached the green he soon realised he had aced it.
“It was just a little seven iron, almost a three quarter swing but the execution was perfect and the people by the green just clapped and didn’t go mad or anything so I walked to the green with my putter but there was only one ball!” said the eight-time Senior Tour winner, who is four shots behind leader Roger Chapman.
“Aside from that my round was a little bit frustrating because I played really well but I just left a lot of putts out there so hopefully they might start to drop for me soon,” he continued.
Chapman fired the best round of his European Senior Tour career as he soared into the first round lead with a red hot seven under par 64.

The Englishman shot six birdies and just one bogey, continuing in the vein that saw him finish tied second at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters two weeks ago, but his pièce de résistance at the sun-drenched Casa Serena Golf came at the 18th as he sank a 30 foot putt for a closing eagle.

The former European Tour winner may have been joined at the top of the leaderboard by Gordon Manson but for an unfortunate incident which saw the English-born Austrian incur a two shot penalty after his caddy raked a bunker before he played out, leaving him with a 66 and two shots off the lead.

Former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance is three shots off the pace in a share of sixth place after opening with a 67 to follow on from a strong performance at Woburn, while John Chillas and Andrew Oldcorn were both tied for 18th after two under par rounds of 69.

CASA SERENA SENIORS OPEN
Casa Serena GC, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
64 R Chapman (Eng) ,
65 M Mouland (Wal) ,

66 D Russell (Eng) , D Hospital (Esp) , G Manson (Aut) ,
67 S Torrance (Sco) , B Lane (Eng) , T Johnstone (Zim) , N Job (Eng) , A Forsbrand (Swe) , M Harwood (Aus) ,
68 P Mitchell (Eng) , T Thelen (USA) , B Lincoln (RSA) , M Farry (Fra) , B Longmuir (Sco) , G Wolstenholme (Eng) ,
69 J Harrison (Eng) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , A Murray (Eng) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , J Chillas (Sco) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , J Gould (Eng) , D Cambridge (Jam) , C Mason (Eng) , B Cameron (Eng) , D Merriman (Aus) , P Fowler (Aus) ,
70 J Rivero (Esp) , E Darcy (Irl) , M Moreno (Esp) , P Dahlberg (Swe) , J Quiros (Esp) , M Belsham (Eng) , R Davis (Aus) , J Bruner (USA) , M Bembridge (Eng) , C Rocca (Ita) , A Sowa (Arg) , G Banister (Aus) ,
71 J Stuart (USA) , K Tomori (Jpn) , M Cunning (USA) , C Williams (RSA) , N Ratcliffe (Aus) , R Drummond (Sco) , G Brand (Eng) , D Durnian (Eng) , G Brand Jnr (Sco) , G Cali (Ita) ,
72 F Mann (Sco) , M Clayton (Aus) , H Carbonetti (Arg) , J Seifert (Cze) , B Smit (RSA) , J Rhodes (Eng) , B Vaughan (USA) , S Van Vuuren (RSA) ,
73 A Franco (Par) , I Woosnam (Wal) ,
74 A Fernandez (Chi) , G Ralph (Eng) , K Spurgeon (Eng) , J Juhaniak (Cze) , A Sherborne (Eng) ,
76 G Ryall (Eng) , A Garrido (Esp) ,
77 H Chang (Tpe) , D Smyth (Irl) , M James (Eng) ,
80 E Polland (Nir) ,
87 P Tsai (Tpe)