DAVID McKenzie leads at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship after an emotional day at London Golf Club, following the passing of Ryder Cup winner Gordon Brand Jnr.

The Australian recorded a bogey-free round of 65, to lead on seven-under by a stroke from Chris Williams – however, thoughts during the day were with the family of Brand Jnr after his sudden death on the eve of the tournament.

The Ryder Cup winner, who also won twice on the Staysure Tour, passed away during the night, and an emotional minute’s silence was held in his honour on the 10th tee at 12:35pm, when he would have teed off at London Golf Club for the opening round of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.

McKenzie, who finished tied fifth at last week’s weather-affected Senior Open, qualified for the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship via Monday’s aualifying event.

And while Steve Smith was resucing the Aussies’ first innings at Edgbaston in the first Ashes test, McKenzie carried his form into the opening round, where he made seven birdies without dropping a shot on the International Course.

“I drove down Sunday night and got in at two o’clock Monday morning and then came through Monday qualifying, which was really windy,” said McKenzie.

“So, the fact there was no wind today made the course a lot easier.

“I haven’t been at the top of a leaderboard for a while now. I’ve been playing okay at the last couple of tournaments on the Champions Tour in America and I had a nice week last week, so I’ve brought that form along with me.

“I would say my shot of the day which I’m most pleased about was my tee shot on the eighth – my 17th – across the water and I hit a six-iron into four feet. I played well. I kept it in play and didn’t get in any trouble.”

South African Williams has two runner-up finished already this season but is in prime position to strike, having signed for an opening round of 66, to sit a shot behind McKenzie.

Welsh pair Stephen Dodd and Phillip Price shot five-under par rounds of 67 to occupy third place alongside Sweden’s Magnus P Atlevi and another Australian Peter Fowler.

The second round begins at 7.45am, with McKenzie aiming to continue his assault on the course at 8.55am.

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Thomas Levet believes his win at PGA Catalunya in 2009 was the best he played in his European Tour career – he makes just his fourth start on the Staysure Tour at the same Spanish club looking for his first Seniors win. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

THOMAS Levet returns to the scene of his 2009 Open de España victory when the European Tour Destinations Senior Classic gets under way on the Staysure Tour at PGA Catalunya Resort today (Friday).

The Frenchman captured the fifth of his six European Tour titles at the acclaimed Spanish venue, holding off Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti to secure a two-shot victory, and with it became the most decorated French golfer of all time on the European Tour.

A member of the winning 2004 Ryder Cup team, Levet is making only his fourth start on the Staysure Tour since celebrating his 50th birthday last September.

Levet will be looking to rekindle his love affair with PGA Catalunya Resort as he goes in search of his first win on the over-50s circuit.

“It’s always a pleasure to come back to a venue where you have won,” he said. “As soon as you step back onto the golf course it is as if you can feel your rhythm again and your game is back to the way it was when you won.

“It’s a strange feeling and hopefully it can last when I’m out competing on the course this week.

“My win in 2009 was probably my best week on tour. I played unbelievably all-week long from tee to green.

“The course has changed and improved a lot since then and the resort itself is unbelievable now so I’m excited to see what the week brings.”

Levet will need to outplay a formidable field if he is to emulate his triumph from a decade ago.

Former World No. 1 Ian Woosnam and Paul McGinley, who returns to action this week after a successful week as host of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, are just two of a plethora of former Ryder Cup stars set to contest the title.

Meanwhile, defending champion Magnus P Atlevi will be bidding to recapture the crown he won at Bulgaria’s Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort, 12 months ago, with Santiago Luna, who won the inaugural contest at Linna Golf & Country Club, in Finland, in 2017, also set to tee up his title challenge.

Argentina’s José Coceres, who sits atop the Staysure Tour Order of Merit, will start the tournament among the favourites after capturing his first Staysure Tour title at last week’s Swiss Seniors Open at Bad Ragaz.

Levet gets his first round under way at 10:10am, with past champions Atlevi and Luna paired in the first group of the day to play off the first tee at 9am.

•The first round of the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship at Firestone CC was interrupted by a thunderstorm with US Senior Open winner Steve Stricker in first place on five-under with a hole to play.

With some players having only just started their rounds, Miguel Angel Jimenez wa in a share of third place with South African Retief Goosen in 12th alongside Colin Montgomerie.

You can follow live scoring in Ohio here

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