Centurion - South Africa’s Hennie du Plessis fired a flawless 10-under par 62 for a four-way share of the lead in the first round of the MyGolfLife Open at Pecanwood Golf and Country Club, in Hartbeespoort, on Thursday.
Du Plessis leads alongside countryman Tristen Strydom, Spain’s Nacho Elvira and England’s Ross Fisher. The quartet lead by a single shot ahead of Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal who fired a nine-under round of 63. On eight-under 64 in a tie for ninth are South Africans JC Ritchie and Richard Sterne alongside Germany’s Nicolai von Dellingshausen.
As the event began on Thursday, it marked the first DP World Tour (DPWT) tournament back in South Africa since the Joburg Open which began the 2022 season in November last year.
The 25-year-old Du Plessis began his day with two birdies in a row starting at the second, before three more birdies in a row from the seventh ensured he made the turn in five-under. In fact, Du Plessis added a fourth birdie in a row at the par five 10th, before yet another gain at the par five 12th.
Du Plessis then reeled off another birdie run with three in a row from the 16th to conclude his round, and matching five-under nine-hole loops.
It’s just the third DPWT event for Du Plessis this season, after ending ninth at the Joburg Open and finishing 42nd last week at the Kenya Open.
Between those two events, Du Plessis played two tournaments back home which were co-sanctioned with the European Challenge Tour with finishes of 19th and 29th respectively.
Letting it rip at the 10th 🏌️#MyGolfLifeOpen pic.twitter.com/MmZvHr9w5w
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 10, 2022
Ritchie also produced a bogey-free round, with five birdies on his opening nine and three coming home.
For Sterne, four birdies going out and four more on his inward loop saw him finish on eight-under. Sterne, a former world number 29 now ranked 831st in the global rankings, has not won since 2013 and his start to the co-sanctioned event between the Sunshine and the DPWT will be encouraging.
IOL Sport