Darren Fichardt will lead the Saffas into Friday’s play at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters after an opening 67 at Education City Golf Course in Doha, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
The 40-something golfer sits in ninth after Thursday’s opening effort where he opened with two birdies before adding another on the fifth. While he wasn’t able to capatilise on the par 5 sixth hole, Fichardt was able to keep his name inside the top 10 for most of the day.
Drops at nine and 12 – both par 3s – halted his progress but the birdies were in constant supply. Fichardt sandwiched his second drop with two birdies before another at the 16th saw him get to four under.
Impressive and now former t0p-ranked amateur, Wilco Nienaber, is one back after a 68 that included five birdies and two drops. He will start round two in the pack sharing 16th place.
Dean Burmester was at -2 with Zander Lombard, George Coetzee and defending champion Justin Harding at -1. Harding’s round saw him show his grit as he managed to end in the red despite two bogeys and a double on the 1st.
Brandon Stone, playoff loser in Oman last week, opened with a double and then dropped three shots on the fifth but still ended level thanks to a round that included six birdies.
At the top, Dane Nicolai Højgaard produced a remarkable run of scoring on the back nine to take the first round lead at -7 as he looks to follow brother Rasmus into the winner’s circle.
The Danish teenager announced himself on the professional stage as he finished second to Sergo Garcia at last season’s KLM Open and since then he and identical twin brother Rasmus – alongside whom he won the Eisenhower Trophy and played in the Junior Ryder Cup – have been blazing a trail on the European Tour.
Rasmus came through the Qualifying School and won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open earlier this season but it was Nicolai’s time to shine on Thursday.
Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images
