DP World Tour: At the Investec South African Open Championship, Thriston Lawrence set the tone for a low-scoring opening day while Tom McKibbin dazzled with an incredible hole-in-one.
At Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate outside Johannesburg, Lawrence, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour last season, shot an eight-under 64 by birdying four of his final six holes.
The world No. 90’s birdie at the second hole was negated by a bogey at the next, but he made up for it by making gains from the fifth through the par-four ninth to get to the turn in 32.
Lawrence took advantage of the par-five 10th hole and scored three more birdies over the next four holes starting at the 13th. The South African then birdied the par-five 18th hole with a superb up-and-down shot from a greenside bunker.
When Jens Fahrbring failed to birdie the par-five 18th hole and finished with a 65, he was tied for second place with Ross Fisher of England. Lawrence and Fahrbring were in a tie for the lead going into the final round.
Fisher finished with five birdies in his final seven holes to finish at seven under par. Scott Jamieson of Scotland and Matti Schmid are both one stroke behind Fisher after shooting flawless rounds of 66.
Following a five-under 67, which included a stunning ace at the par-three 11th, McKibbin, who is from the same golf course in Northern Ireland as Rory McIlroy, is in the group three off the lead.
“I’m pretty happy. It was a good round of golf to start the week,” said McKibbin. “It didn’t move from the flag when I charged straight at it. I was only able to hear the roar and hear the crowd because I couldn’t see it go in.”
While the top-ranked golfer Dean Burmester started his week with a two-under 70, last week’s Joburg Open winner Dan Bradbury is in the group four back with former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Scotland’s Marc Warren.
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