Burmester shares first round lead at SA Open in Stellenbosch
· Citizen
Spain’s Alejandro del Rey made six birdies and one bogey to post an excellent five-under-par 65 on Thursday to share the lead with three other players after the first round of the 115th SA Open being played at Stellenbosch Golf Club.
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The other players on five-under-par are Joe Dean of England, Oliver Lindell of Finland and South Africa’s Dean Burmester.
Del Rey, who started his round on the 10th and made the turn at even par, caught fire on his back nine (the front nine of the course), with birdies at the first, second, third, fifth and ninth holes.
“I’m very pleased,” said Del Rey after his round.
“In the beginning it was a little tough. I hit a few bad shots. The wind is a big factor. You have to get your yardages right. The course plays long so you have to pick the right clubs and you’ve got to be accurate.
“I fixed a few things going into the back nine and hit it well and then managed to make a few putts which got me to a good round.”
South Africans in the mix
Burmester, who’ll be in action at South Africa’s first LIV Golf Tour event at Steyn City in a few weeks’ time, mixed seven birdies with two bogeys to be right in the mix going into the second round.
There are four plyers at four-under-par, two off the leaders, including South Africa’s Herman Loubser, while a further shot back, among a group at three-under-par are South Africans Dylan Frittelli, Haydn Porteous nd Casey Jarvis, who won the Magical Kenya Open last weekend.
Four other rising stars of South African gold, namely Thriston Lawrence, Jayden Schaper, Ryan van Velzen and Robin Williams are at two-under-par.
Conditions in Stellenbosch were windy on Thursday and a number of players battled, among them American world number 18 Patrick Reed, who could only manage a one-over-par 71, with four bogeys, though he also made a birdie and an eagle at the par-five fifth hole.
Ernie Els, a multiple former champion, will also want to forget his day, after he posted a 74 to be in tied 125th place. He, too, made an eagle at the par-five fifth, but bogeyed four other holes and made a double at the par-four 11th.
Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who alongside Burmester will also be in LIV Golf Tour action at Steyn City later next month, also had a day to forget, with a 77.