His name appears on the leader board at the U.S. Senior Open above the likes of Tom Watson, Gary Player, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Kite and Arnold Palmer.

It's even above defending champion Bruce Lietzke.

It was a good day for Butler golfer John Aubrey Sr. Thursday.

In the opening round at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Aubrey shot a two-under-par 69, which was good enough for 11th place and was just four strokes off leader Peter Jacobsen, who fired a 65.

Aubrey, who owns Aubrey's Dubbs Dred golf course and is the club pro there, was one stroke off the pace after the front nine but slipped back on the back nine.

Zoeller was even par, at 71, Watson and Player were three over, Lietzke four over and Palmer 12 over after the first round.

Aubrey's efforts in the opening round should help him make the cut after today's second round.

Aubrey, 54, qualified for the event by winning the U.S. Golf Association qualifier at Longue Vue Country Club in Verona last month.