Bernhard Langer shot a 6-under 64 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over Mark McNulty after the first round of the Senior British Open.

Langer, the German star who won the 2010 tournament at Carnoustie, had six birdies on Turnberry's Alisa Course.

"I was very pleased with the way I played," Langer said. "Played smart. Hit some good drives, good iron shots and sank a few putts. Maybe left a couple of putts out there as well."

Tom Lehman, Michael Allen, David Frost, Jay Don Blake, Dick Mast and Chien Soon Lu shot 66.

Allen has two victories this year on the Champions Tour.

"I played beautiful on the front nine, made a few mistakes in the middle then had a great finish," said Allen, who eagled the par-5 17th and birdied the 18th. "Out here in a short-sleeved shirt in Scotland playing this wonderful course is as good as it gets."

Tom Watson opened with a 69. He lost a playoff to Stewart Cink in the 2009 British Open at Turnberry, and won the 1977 British Open and 2003 Senior British Open at the course. The 62-year-old American, a five-time British Open winner and three-time Senior British Open champion, made the cut last week in the British Open.

"The course is there for the taking on such a beautiful day and Bernhard did that. He's that good of a player and he's in good form," Watson said. "He and his caddie, Terry (Holt), really work out how the course should be played. That's why he's so successful."

England's Roger Chapman had a 72. The won Senior PGA and U.S. Senior Open winner is trying to tie Jack Nicklaus' record of three senior major victories in a season. Nicklaus accomplished the feat in 1991, winning The Tradition, Senior PGA and U.S. Senior Open.

Greg Norman, Fred Couples and Mark Calcavecchia also shot 72.