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Bruce Vaughan made eight birdies Thursday in a 3-under 68 to take the early clubhouse lead at the Senior British Open, while Greg Norman laboured to a 75.
Vaughan's opening round on the links course at Troon was hampered by a double bogey on the sixth hole and a triple bogey on the 12th. But he recovered to play the last six holes at 3 under par and held a one-stroke lead over John Cook (69).
"It was either feast or famine," Vaughan said. "Outside of those two hockey sticks (sevens) it was a good round."
Birdies were tough to find for Norman, however, despite his impressive form at last week's British Open at Royal Birkdale, where he led the championship with nine holes to play but finished tied for third.
The Australian, whose last of two Open triumphs was 15 years ago, has yet to win a senior's title and was hopeful that this, his fourth event in the world of the over 50s, might make up for the hurt of Sunday's final round where he saw the Open title go to playing partner Padraig Harrington.
In sunny conditions at Troon, Norman bogeyed six of the first 10 holes and was 6 over par before he finally picked up a shot at the par-4 13th. He made one more birdie on the 18th after a pitch to three feet.
While Norman struggled, playing partner Tom Watson made every green and missed only one fairway in a bogey-free 70.
"I don't think I have made all 18 greens ever in my life," said Watson, who has won three Senior British Opens to go with the five he collected before he turned 50. "I am very happy. I shot a good round of golf in unusual conditions with the wind changing direction."
