Katsuyoshi Tomori recovered from his only bogey of the day with back-to-back closing birdies for a five under par 66 and the clubhouse lead in the first round of the Benahavis Senior Masters.
The 55 year old from Japan mastered the greens at La Quinta Golf and Country Club in Spain, also birdieing the second, third, tenth and 12th holes.
After starting the season with two consecutive top ten finishes, Tomori endured a relative dip in form during the middle of the season but showed signs of improvement with a share of seventh place in last week’s Cannes Mougins Masters.
He said: “I played very well today and putted very well. I had six birdies and only one bogey so I’m very happy.
“I played well last week too so I feel good about my game. I really liked the front nine here but there was a lot of water on the back nine! It’s a good score though – I felt no pressure.”
Scotland’s Ross Drummond is a shot further back after opening with an eagle en route to a 67, while Englishman John Gould posted a 68. Spanish duo José Rivero, who played in the same group as Tomori, and Emilio Rodriduez both signed for rounds of 69.
