New Senior British Open champion, Christy O'Connor junior declared himself "very tired and in need of a rest" after three putting three of the last four holes for a 74 to trail Italy's Alberto Croce by seven shots in the opening round of the Energis Senior Masters at Wentworth yesterday. Tony Jacklin and Neil Coles, shot four under par 68s to be just a shot off the lead. But both bogeyed the final hole to miss out on a share of the lead.

Meanwhile, Mark O'Meara returned to form in the second round of the Greater Hartford Open Cromwell, Connecticut yesterday, firing a 6-under-par 64 to move within one shot of co-leaders Brent Geiberger and Peter Jordan at the half-way stage.