U.S. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP RELATED STORIES U.S. Senior Open Championship Preview Round 1: Eduardo Romero leads as weather cuts short play Round 2: Tom Watson moves three shots clear Round 3: Tom Watson holds on to three shot advantage Round 4: Brad Bryant wins as Tom Watson fades U.S. Senior Open Championship Scores 2007 Champions Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Sweden win World Cup Internationals claim Lexus Cup Pampling wins in a playoff Choi wins Skins Game Amateur: EGU allow range finders GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Huge savings on Festive gifts! A golf break in France - just £89! Half Price Golf Vouchers Take 10 shots off your scores! Best Value Golf Insurance

Eduardo Romero leads as weather cuts short play

Argentina's Eduardo Romero shot a 6-under-par 66 to post a three-stroke lead in the first round of the $2.6 million U.S. Senior Open.

Play was suspended late in the afternoon due to inclement weather, preventing half of the 156-player field from completing the round. Play is scheduled to resume Friday morning.

Romero, who started on the back nine, got off to a fast start at Whistling Straits. After consecutive birdies on Nos. 12 and 13, Romero recorded an eagle on the par-5 16th. Birdies on Nos. 2, 5 and 6 highlighted his round before a bogey on the seventh provided the day's only blemish.

Romero has finished either first or second in each of the last three major championships. He lost a playoff to Loren Roberts at last year's Senior British Open before defeating Lonnie Nielson in a playoff for the JELD-WEN Tradition title. He was second at this year's Senior PGA Championship.

Vincente Fernandez, Romero's countryman, offset two bogeys with five birdies in the opening round and is one of seven players tied for second at 3-under. Jon Fiedler and Ron Vlosich also completed their rounds at 3-under.

Players at 3-under who were unable to complete their round Thursday are Gil Morgan (14), Roberts (13), Bruce Vaughan (10) and Jim Woodward (9).

Two-time defending champion Allen Doyle - the first golfer to repeat as the tournament champ since Gary Player in 1987-88 - had a disastrous start.

The American double-bogeyed his first hole and had bogeys on five of the next 12 holes to tumble to 7-over-par. He completed 13 holes before play was halted.

Though he's rallied for victories in this event before, Doyle will need to make a miraculous comeback if he hopes to secure a third consecutive title.

Last year, Doyle overcame Tom Watson's two-shot lead on the tournament's final day. In 2005, he shot an 8-under-par 63 in the final round and overcame a nine-stroke deficit to claim the title.

Two-time Senior Open winner Hale Irwin is 4-over after a frustrating round that including a triple-bogey on the par-4 14th.

Irwin is seeking his eighth major championship title, which would tie him with Jack Nicklaus on the Champions Tour. With 45 career victories, Irwin is the Champions Tour's all-time leader.