Christiaan Bezuidenhout made a blistering start to the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt on Thursday morning by taking the clubhouse lead at 11 under par, writes ANDRE HUISAMEN.
His incredible round of 61 gave him the best possible start and featured a staggering 11 birdies without a blemish over the 18 holes on the Outeniqua Golf Course.
The course experienced a busy morning with a lot of players making low scores in the early stages, including Ernie Els, who is playing at the event for the first time.
READ: DiData Pro-Am: 3 to watch
The Big Easy finished with a bogey-free 64 and is currently second with many players still out on the Outeniqua, Montagu and Links courses.
Four Majors
Three spells as World Number One
Wins on the @EuropeanTour
Years old @TheBig_Easy is still out here doing his thing #DDProAm pic.twitter.com/oOyo7Kv5A7— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) February 13, 2020
Haydn Porteous was out of the blocks fairly quickly on Thursday morning when he carded a total of five birdies in his opening six holes. His round stagnated a bit after that with two bogeys, but he managed to come home with a seven-under-par 65, currently sharing third spot with Marcel Siem, George Coetzee and JC Ritchie, the leader of the Order of Merit.
Coetzee is clearly in good spirits just five days after getting married in Stilbaai. Six birdies on the front nine of the Outeniqua course presented him with an excellent chance to capitalise but he found the back nine a bit more testing.
ALSO READ: Grace, Van Rooyen to mix it with the best
Ritchie’s excellent form seems has turned into a season of consistency. He also carded a 65, which included an excellent eagle two on the par-four 1st hole, which got him going.
Dean Burmester, Darren Fichardt and Richard Sterne are a further stroke back on six under par, while Compleat Golfer‘s playing editor, Brandon Stone, finished on three under par with a solid 69.
