Japan’s Khoki Idoki holed a bunker shot at the final hole to grab the early halfway lead in the Senior Open Presented by Rolex at Carnoustie.
Idoki, who had spilled a shot at the 17thhole, looked in danger of finishing on a discordant note, but rallied with his superb splash out from greenside for a five under par 67 and 36-hole total of 137, seven under par.
He set the early pace at the top of a cosmopolitan leader board in the 30thanniversary of the championship, with American Olin Browne, Swede Jesper Parnevik and Australian Peter Fowler all snapping at his heels on 138, six under.
Parnevik, attempting to ride a wave of success in Scotland started by Alex Noren in Inveress two weeks ago and continued by Henrik Stenson at The Open last week, had a bogey-free 68. The highlight of his round was a stunning eagle three at the 14th.
He admitted: “I had no expectation whatever coming into this week. I hurt my back a few weeks ago and hadn’t hit a drive for about a month. Maybe I am just inspired by what Henrik did at Troon last week.”
Browne set a cracking early pace on a cool but pleasant morning on the east coast of Scotland, birdieing four of the first five holes on his way to a beat-of-the-week 66.
Fowler hit his stride on the back nine, racking up four birdies in a row from the 11thand finishing off a fine day’s work with a two at the fiendish 16thhole – the graveyard of so many aspirations in the past.
