Jaco Ahlers lies in a share of ninth place after carding a first-round 67 at the King’s Cup, being held at Phoenix Gold Golf Club, on Thursday morning.
The 33-year-old started his round with four pars before a double-bogey knocked him back at the fifth. He bounced back with an eagle at the sixth before sinking a birdie at the eighth and a bogey at the ninth to make the turn for home at even-par.
The four-time Sunshine Tour winner’s homeward stretch was more sedate as he sunk seven pars along with another eagle at the 11th and a birdie at the 16th to close out his round.
His in a group of players at three-under-par, four shots off the lead. The sole leader is Thailand’s Sattaya Supupramai who fired a seven-under-par 63 that included eight birdies and a bogey to lead by three strokes over a group of players at four-under-par.
The KIng’s Cup is an alternate event on the European Tour this week and is being co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour.
Dean Burmester carded an opening-round 73 while Keith Horne opened with a round of 69. Shaun Norris, Jbe Kruger and Trevor Immelman had yet to complete their rounds.
