Mika Koivuniemi may not compete often these days but it didn’t show Monday as he took the first-round lead at the 2019 PBA Senior U.S. Open.

Koivuniemi, who is the event’s defending champion, opened the first of four days of qualifying with a six-game total of 1,465, a 244.17 average, at Suncoast in Las Vegas. All rounds of the event are being broadcast live exclusively on FloBowling.

The native of Finland started with a 203 game on the burn before hitting his stride and shooting 253 and 300. He closed out the block with 229, 234 and 246.

Results: Senior U.S. Open Qualifying Round 1

Kimmo Lehtonen of Finland sits in second place with 1,402, while Jeff Johnson had the high total on the fresh and sits in third with 1,358. Don Moser (1,347) and Ron Mohr (1,327) round out the top five.

Norm Duke, who has made the stepladder finals in all four PBA50 events in which he has competed in this year, sits in 10^th place with 1,311.

Amleo Monacelli, fresh off his win Sunday at the USBC Senior Masters, posted an opening-round total of 1,276 to sit in 20^th place.

All 152 players in the field will bowl 24 games of qualifying over four days before the first cut is made to the top 38 for match play on Friday. The stepladder finals for the top five are scheduled for Friday at 4:15 p.m. Pacific.