AKRON — Jerry Kelly put himself in familiar position Thursday at Firestone Country Club.

The two-time tournament champion fired a 5-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Kaulig Companies Championship, the third of five senior majors on the PGA Tour Champions schedule.

Kelly, who won the event in 2020 and 2022 at Firestone, carded rounds of 34 and 31 on the South Course to finish one stroke ahead of Darren Clarke and Mike Weir, who each shot 66.

Kelly, 59, is seeking his 14th career PGA Tour Champions victory and his first of the 2026 season. Ranked No. 53 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings entering the week, he would tie Bernhard Langer’s tournament record with a third Kaulig Companies Championship title if he wins Sunday.

Clarke, the 2022 Senior Open champion, continued his strong season with a 4-under round. The Northern Irishman is looking for his second victory of the year after winning the American Family Insurance Championship team event with Ben Crane. Clarke also has fond memories of Firestone, where he won the 2003 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational.

Weir matched Clarke at 4 under after opening with a sizzling 31 on the front nine before settling for a 35 on the back. The 2003 Masters champion is seeking his first senior major title and first PGA Tour Champions victory since the 2021 Insperity Invitational.

Five players were tied for fourth at 3 under, including 2024 champion Ernie Els, former PGA champion Y.E. Yang, Zach Johnson, Cameron Percy and Søren Kjeldsen.

Akron native Ryan Armour, making his tournament debut after becoming eligible for PGA Tour Champions earlier this year, opened with a 2-under 68 and was tied for ninth.

Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink shot a 1-under 69 and was tied for 15th. Cink has won four times this season and captured the World Golf Championships event at Firestone in 2004.

Scoring proved challenging on the 7,107-yard South Course, which played to a scoring average of 71.307. No player completed a bogey-free round, and no eagles were recorded during the opening round.

The tournament continues Friday with the second round, with the 78-player field competing for a spot atop the leaderboard heading into the weekend.