Wales Open: Australian Peter Senior belied his veteran status by firing a six-under-par 63 to take a share in a six-way tie for the lead in the Wales Open yesterday.

The 45-year-old hung on to his European Tour card in 115th place on the money list last season. He may not need to make a late scramble this year, though, after shrugging off a double bogey to hit eight birdies at Celtic Manor.

Senior was joined on 63 by Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, Frenchman Benoit Teilleria and Britons David Lynn, Gary Emerson and James Heath, a protege of Nick Faldo who asked for the 22-year-old to be included in the field.

Having missed his last three cuts since returning to Europe, Senior was delighted with his display.

"I've only had four birdies in two weeks and suddenly I have eight in one day," he said.

"When you don't play as much nowadays, as is the case with me, you find it hard to get your short game going. But I'm starting to get it back.

"I hit it behind a tree to make my double (bogey) so it was nice to get the shots back."

Senior, a winner 26 times around the world, is using his neighbour, former Olympic swimming champion Neil Brooks, as his caddie for a spell.

Brooks, a medley relay gold-medal winner in Moscow in 1980, is enjoying the experience.

"Peter and I play two or three rounds a week so he suggested a working holiday . . . I couldn't believe my wife said I could go," said Brooks.

Faldo, his manager and mentor, provided the inspiration for Heath, who recovered from an early bogey by recording seven birdies.

Heath only turned professional last November and is relying on invitations to tournaments on the main and Challenge Tour, but fortunately belongs to the management company run by a certain six-time major winner.

"He's got quite a lot of pull so I'm glad he's got my back covered," said the 22-year-old from Surrey, who also became the youngest winner of the Lytham Trophy in 2004 with a total five shots lower than Tom Lehman's winning score at the 1996 Open Championship.

"I normally play a practice round with him but I didn't this week because I think he was doing promotional things which helped me get the invite.

"A phone call from Nick Faldo goes a long way, and I've known him since I was 15 and came through his Faldo Junior Series.

"I actually spoke to him last week because I've had a bit of a frustrating year. It's nice to know you can call him about any part of your game at any time. He's a cool guy.

"My one and only goal is to get a European Tour card for 2006. I don't know what my life has got planned for me but I can only work hard.

"I believe the harder you work the luckier you get."

Local favourite Ian Woosnam (47), was one stroke off the lead on 64 alongside fellow Briton Stuart Little.

Woosnam's former Ryder Cup partner Faldo struggled to a three-over 72 while Colin Montgomerie carded a 71.

Four of the five Irishmen in the field finished on one-under-par 68: Gary Murphy, Peter Lawrie, Paul McGinley and Damien McGrane.

Murphy had reached three under with three to play, by double-bogeyed the par three eighth.

Stephen Browne struggled to a 71.

First Round Scores

(Irish and Brit unless stated, Par 69)

(x) denotes amateur

63 - David Lynn, James Heath, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Gary Emerson, Peter Senior (Aus), Benoit Teilleria (Fra).

64 - Stuart Little, Ian Woosnam.

65 - Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Michael Campbell (Nzl), Nick Dougherty, Kenneth Ferrie, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Andrew Coltart, Neil Cheetham.

66 - Gary Orr, Stephen Scahill (Nzl), Stephen Gallacher, Peter Hedblom (Swe), Leif Westerberg (Swe), Richard Bland, Andrew Oldcorn, Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Francois Delamontagne (Fra).

67 - Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Paul Lawrie, Thomas Bjorn (Den), Henrik Stenson (Swe), Marten Olander (Swe), Christian Cevaer (Fra), Richard Sterne (Rsa), Steven O'Hara, Wade Ormsby (Aus), Jan-Are Larsen (Nor), Ben Mason, Richard Finch, Andre Cruse (Rsa), Jamie Donaldson, Scott Drummond, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Soren Hansen (Den), Simon Khan, Anders Hansen (Den), Oliver Wilson, Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Brett Rumford (Aus)

68 - Joakim Backstrom (Swe), Robert Coles, Damien McGrane, Alastair Forsyth, Paul McGinley, Roger Chapman, Niclas Fasth (Swe), Andrew McLardy (Rsa), Gary Murphy, Graeme Storm, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Steve Webster, David Park, Peter Lawrie, Sandy Lyle, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Gregory Bourdy (Fra)

69 - Darren Fichardt (Rsa), Raymond Russell, Costantino Rocca (Ita), Peter Baker, Brad Kennedy (Aus), Miguel Angel Martin (Spa), David Gilford, Bradley Dredge, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra), Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Adam Groom (Aus), Lee Thompson, Johan Skold (Swe), John Bickerton, David Drysdale, Garry Houston, Markus Brier (Aut), Simon Wakefield, Philip Archer, Martin Erlandsson (Swe)

70 - Sebastian Fernandez (Arg), Ross Fisher, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg), Terry Price (Aus), Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel), Ian Garbutt, Hernan Rey (Arg), Simon Hurd, Robert Rock, Santiago Luna (Spa), Anthony Wall, Jamie Spence, Jonathan Lomas, Paul Broadhurst, Robert Karlsson (Swe), Malcolm Mackenzie, Matthew King, Mark Wiggett, Fernando Roca (Spa).

71 - D Howell, M Tunnicliff, M Maritz (Rsa), J Langmead, Stephen Browne, C Montgomerie, S Dodd, P Fowler (Aus), K Sullivan, M Roe, L Slattery, M Fraser (Aus), G Brand Jnr, M Eliasson (Swe).

72 - S Manley, S Dyson, C Hanell (Swe), M Cayeux (Zim), G F-Castano (Spa), T Moore (Rsa), J Moseley (Aus), N Faldo, P Golding, F Molinari (Ita), D Griffiths, P Edberg (Swe).

73 - H Nystrom (Swe), L Brovold (Nor), J Axgren (Swe), S Struver (Ger), P O'Malley (Aus), R Muntz (Ned), O Ross, A Maestroni (Ita), M Jonzon (Swe), M Siem (Ger), G Ryall, M Sanders.

74 - D Robertson, M Foster, F Henge (Swe), M Blackey, C Gill, S Little, M Bernardini (Ita).

75 - M Ilonen (Fin), (x) B Evans.

77 - M Prior.

78 - N Zitny (Aut).

79 - C Baron.