Van Phillips & Matthew Cort Take Opening Lead at European Senior Masters

• Van Phillips and Matthew Cort share the first-round lead at the European Senior Masters.
• Jean Hugo and Felipe Aguilar are one shot back after rounds of 66.
• The Champions UK plc European Senior Masters is being played at La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain.

Van Phillips and Matthew Cort each signed for a bogey-free 8-under 65 on Friday to share the opening-round lead at the Champions UK plc European Senior Masters at La Manga Club.

Heavy rain earlier in the week left the Murcia layout soft, and the field took full advantage. Four players are separated by a single stroke at the top of the leaderboard.

Phillips misses one green

Phillips made eight birdies without a dropped shot and hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation. The Englishman made four birdies on each nine, three of them in his last six holes, to set the clubhouse target.

“I’ve been playing really well all year,” said Phillips. “It was just really solid all day. I hit 17 greens. The one I missed, I chipped close and tapped it in.”

“I think this is a great course. You’ve got to hit it straight here. You can’t play well if you spray it around, so that suits me.”

Low rounds of the day 🔥

Van Phillips and Matt Cort lead the way at La Manga Club.

Setting the pace in Spain 👀

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— Legends Tour (@euLegendsTour) November 6, 2026

Cort’s eagle at the 4th

Cort matched him with a bogey-free round built around an eagle at the par-5 4th, his fourth hole of the day. Six further birdies brought the Englishman level with Phillips.

“It’s quite a risk-and-reward second shot,” said Cort. “I still had a five-wood in over the water, managed to get it on and holed a decent-length putt, maybe 45 feet. They don’t always go in, so it was nice to get that in.”

Cort has been knocking on the door all season. He finished runner-up to Hugo at the Reignwood Legends Championship in Beijing, then took fifth at the Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open and ninth at the Portugal Legends Championship. He arrives ninth on the Road to Cambodia rankings.

“You’ve got to beat a lot of good players if you want to win,” he said. “That’s the goal, to try and get into contention and try to win one. I feel it could be happening, but you never know.”

Hugo stays in touch

One shot back, Jean Hugo carded a 7-under 66. The South African, who closed with a course-record 62 to win in Portugal last week, three-putted the 2nd but answered with eight birdies.

“It was a bit tricky with the wind and still cool out there, so it wasn’t a great start,” said Hugo. “But I birdied the third hole and birdied 18, which was my ninth hole, and that gave me a bit of momentum going into the back nine.”

Hugo had never played La Manga before this week. He is chasing a third title from his last four starts.

“If you’re in contention every week, it’s quite mentally draining. You have to be up for it every day. Obviously, a third title would mean a lot.”

Chile’s Felipe Aguilar joined him on 7-under with a bogey-free 66.

Clark and Lawrie in the mix

Cameron Clark is alone on 6-under after a 67 that also featured an eagle at the 4th. The Northern Irishman closed with a 65 for his first top-five of the season in Portugal last week. He earned his playing rights through Qualifying School in January and is trying to keep his card for 2027.

Christoph Günther, Michael Jonzon, Miguel Ángel Martin and 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie are among those on 5-under after 68s. Lawrie led by one heading into the final round in Portugal last week.

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