Sergio surges ahead with 64

SERGIO Garcia leads the Nedbank Golf Challenge by four shots after posting a superb eight-under-par 64 on the opening day in Sun City.

The Spaniard, a two-time winner of the event, registered eight birdies in his bogey-free round at the Gary Player Country Club.

South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, on home soil, is one of three players on four under, along with Finn Mikko Korhonen and Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera.

There is then a group of six at three under, including Schwartzel’s compatriot Louis Oosthuizen.

Englishmen Andy Sullivan and Matt Wallace, Australia’s Jason Scrivener, France’s Benjamin Hebert and China’s Wu Ashun are the others lying five shots back.

South Africa’s defending champion Branden Grace is at two under, along with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, while Rory McIlroy, who went into this tournament still hopeful of winning a fourth Race to Dubai title, is a further two shots back. The Northern Irishman made the fourth birdie of his round on the 13th before posting a second bogey on the 14th, and then double-bogeyed the 17th.

Garcia told the European Tour website: “It felt great. I rolled the ball nicely, I made some good putts here and there.

“It was one of those rounds where things happened nicely to me. I think I played very smart.”