Golf: Alker makes promising start

Steven Alker. Photo / Simon Baker

Hamilton golf professional Steven Alker made a promising start to the 141st Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes overnight. (NZT)

The 40-year-old, who qualified for his third major championship by winning the final qualifying tournament in West Lancashire to be the only Kiwi in the field, has carded a one-under par 69 to be in a share of 22nd place.

Alker will begin round two only five shots off the pace set by first round leader Australian Adam Scott who equalled the course record with a six-under par 64.

The Kiwi pro began well with a birdie at the first hole but had two poor holes in succession where he made a double bogey at the fifth and bogey at the sixth.

But he rallied well with a birdie at the seventh to make the turn in one-over par. He kept in touch with the leaders by making back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 and went onto sign for a one-under par round.

Alker is playing in his third Open Championship after missing the cut in 1998 and 2007. He has a good chance to make his first cut at golf's oldest major tonight (NZ time) when he tees off early at 6:52am local time.