There was little to cheer on Thursday until a final-hole birdie by Richard Sterne as the majority of the South Africans struggled in round one of the Trophee Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco.
Jordan Smith produced a brilliant bogey-free 66 to set the clubhouse target and open up a one-shot lead over 2014 champion Alejandro Canizares.
The Englishman stormed to the top after a round that included seven birdies over the par-73 layout at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
The best-placed South African is Richard Sterne, holding on to his 1oth place in the Race to Dubai after his challenge in Abu Dhabi early in the year. He birdied three of his last six holes to move into a share of 13th at -2.
The 37-year-old got off to a slow start with a bogey on the second as he turned level, with his lone front-nine gain coming at the fifth.
A bogey at the 10th saw him fall back over par before his strong run into the clubhouse left him well placed.
Dean Burmester was level after the day’s play as he bounced back from two early bogeys. Three birdies on the trot from the 6th helped him to red numbers, but a slow back nine followed as he closed with a par for a 73.
Countryman Erik van Rooyen (74) was expected to challenge this week, but will need to come back from over par, as he slipped on his inward nine. Teeing off from the 10th, he turned at -1 after birdies at 12 and 17, the second helping to correct the damage of a dropped shot at the previous hole.
A bogey at four and a double at the seventh left him with plenty to do.
A birdie at the par-3 ninth will help him start off round two in the right frame of mind as he chases a low one to move himself closer to the lead. Justin Walters was the last man in the clubhouse and matched Van Rooyen’s number.
Louis de Jager and Christiaan Bezuidenhout both failed to capitalise on steady starts as they played their back nines in +3 to drop to +2 through 18 holes.
South African leaderboard:
Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
