BRIDGEND, Wales (AP) — Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a 5-under 66 to take the first-round lead at the Senior British Open on Thursday, five years after he became the first Spaniard to win the tournament.

Jimenez is two shots ahead of Alex Cejka and Mario Tiziani at Royal Porthcawl. Vijay Singh and Jeev Milka Singh are three shots off the lead.

“I am playing very solid on all parts of the game, from the tees to the greens, putting working also,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez, who edged Bernhard Langer by one shot at St. Andrews in 2018, made six birdies and one bogey.

“I was little bit rushing myself there,” he said of his bogey on the 14th. “That was the only bad thing.”

Defending champion Darren Clarke’s 73 included a double bogey on the par-4 No. 1.

Langer, who won the last time the Senior British Open was held at Royal Porthcawl in 2017, also carded a 73. He is a four-time winner of this major and has been runner-up three times.

The tournament is the last of five majors on the senior schedule. The winner gets into the British Open next year at Royal Troon.

FLECK BRUSHES OFF ALLEGATIONS

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck brushed off allegations that he runs a toxic program on Thursday, saying they mostly come from players and employees who have been dismissed or departed on their own.

“These allegations are baseless,” Fleck said during Big Ten media days at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We have full support of our athletic director, Mark Coyle, and our university leadership.

“This is a similar story that gets peddled every single year, and the majority of the players have been dismissed or removed from our football team.”

Multiple former players and employees have been quoted anonymously in reports, including by Front Office Sports, examining the program’s culture, including an accusation that Fleck has interfered with medical protocols to get injured players to return earlier than anticipated.

“We also have around a half-dozen anonymous reporting avenues within our football program that players can go to if they have an issue,” Fleck said.

MLB EXTENDS MANFRED’S TERM

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred’s term was extended until 2029 on Wednesday by major league owners.

The decision to give Manfred a third term in charge of the sport was made during a vote at an in-person meeting in Washington, D.C. The extension keeps Manfred in place until Jan. 25, 2029. The extension keeps Manfred in place until Jan. 25, 2029.

Manfred, 64, succeeded Bud Selig in January 2015 and was given a five-year term.

Owners voted in November 2018 to offer Manfred a new deal through the 2024 season. Manfred has overseen a period of on-field change for the sport, including instituting a pitch clock and limits on defensive shifts this season. Game times have dropped by about a half-hour and offense by left-handed batters has increased.