OAKVILLE, Ontario (AP) - Brendan Steele topped the Canadian Open leaderboard Thursday at 7-under 65, birdieing five of the first seven holes on his back nine at Glen Abbey.
The 30-year-old Steele had eight birdies and a bogey, dropping a shot on his final hole - the par-4 ninth. He won the 2011 Texas Open for his long PGA Tour title.
Matt Kuchar, a two-time winner this year, was a stroke back along with Scott Gardiner and Scott Brown. Kuchar eagled the par-5 18th hole, his ninth hole of the day.
Hunter Mahan and David Lingmerth shot 67, and Chez Reavie, the 2008 winner at Glen Abbey, was another stroke back in a group that included Bubba Watson and Trevor Immelman.
SENIOR BRITISH OPEN
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) - American Gene Sauers shot a 3-under 67 in windy conditions at Royal Birkdale to take the first-round lead in the Senior British Open.
Germany's Bernhard Langer, the 2010 winner, was a stroke back along with South Africa's David Frost, Australia's Peter Senior and the Philippines' Frankie Minoza.
Defending champion Fred Couples opened with a 74.
RUSSIAN OPEN
MOSCOW (AP) - England's Simon Dyson, Sweden's Rikard Karlberg and China's Liang Wen-chong shot 5-under 67 to share the first-round lead in the European Tour's Russian Open.