Wade Ormsby fired a blemish-free 64 to take the first-round lead at the BMW International Open, with many of the 15 South Africans struggling on day one.
The Australian arrived at Golfclub München Eichenried off the back of three missed cuts, but returned to form in spectacular style, getting to eight under to take a one-shot lead from Belgian Thomas Detry.
Masters Tournament champion Sergio Garcia was playing his first regular European Tour event since claiming his first Major Championship at Augusta National, and he carded a bogey-free 66 to sit two shots off the lead alongside Dutchman Joost Luiten and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen.
Just less than half the of the 15 South Africans went under par on Thursday, led by Jaco Ahlers and Hennie Otto on -5 and -4 respectively. Ernie Els battled back from a slow start to finish under par in round one.
Open Championship winner Henrik Stenson was then in the group at five under as an elite field jostled for position on a congested leaderboard in Germany.
Detry had set the target in the morning and for a long time it did not look like he would be caught, before Ormsby stormed out of the blocks to turn in 30 after starting on the tenth.
He had an eagle chance on the sixth after getting on the green in two but settled for a birdie, and another attempt at a three on the par five ninth finished just a single roll short as he took the lead.
‘I had a fast start out there, turned in 30 on the front nine, and then kind of kept it going on the back,’ he said. ‘A bit steadier on the back, but very happy.
‘I guess the back nine is probably a little a bit trickier than the front, so I thought I could kind of press on from there, but the first three holes round the front you’ve got to keep it going and I hit some good shots there.
‘We actually came here this morning to practice early, which I’ve never done before, I just knew there was something there and I wasn’t getting what I wanted. I obviously found something today and I just kept on working what we’re trying to work on, which isn’t normally me, I play by feel.
‘It’s huge for me, this time of year, I’ve worked pretty hard the last six weeks and three missed cuts, I haven’t got what I wanted out of it.’
Dylan Frittelli joined Brandon Stone and Dean Burmester on even par with some work to do to make the weekend in Germany.
Detry started with his only blemish of the day on the first, but bounced back brilliantly with birdies on the second, third, fifth, sixth and ninth to turn in 32. Another birdie on the 12th had him in a share of the lead, and when he holed out from the fairway for an eagle on the next, he was the man to catch.
Garcia started on the tenth and birdied the 11th, 16th and 18th to turn in 33. A beautiful approach to the fifth set up another gain, before the Spaniard took advantage of the par five sixth and then put his tee-shot to the par three eighth to close range.
‘It was great,’ said Garcia. ‘I felt like I played quite well, not spectacular, but very consistent throughout the whole day. I was very happy to see some of the shots I hit and some of the putts I made and very happy with my six under.
‘There’s still three more to go, so we’re going to keep playing hard, and hopefully we’ll have some more like this and we’ll be up there on Sunday.’
Five South Africans stare a free weekend in the face after going over par on Thursday, including Jbe Kruger, who finished strong in Austria, and young duo Haydn Porteous and Zander Lombard.
Defending champion Stenson had a single bogey in his round to sit in the group at five under alongside fellow Swede Rikard Karlberg, Englishmen Richard Bland, Tommy Fleetwood, James Morrison and Matthew Southgate, South African Jaco Ahlers, Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, American Daniel Im, Indian Shiv Kapur, Argentinian Andres Romero and Frenchman Joël Stalter.
Paul Peterson recorded the 19th hole-in-one of the season when he holed a four iron on the second, and Romero took the tally to 20 when he repeated the trick with a five-iron later in the day.
Photo: European Tour
