Oosthuizen sets the pace on day one at Bushwillow
the the way main and golf now course I can focus for the on week. It feels like a new tournament starting for me on Friday.” He will have Wallace for company again on Friday. The Englishman made a breezy start. “The first five holes to come out of the blocks like that after a few weeks off was nice,” he said.
“I was a bit rusty on those holes where I dropped shots. I think that was the difference between Louis and I. “I made bogey on the par three which was a par hole today... But I played nicely,” said Wallace, who is three shots off the lead with Zimbabwe’s Mark Williams and SA’s Tyrone Ferreira. Five-time champion and tournament host Ernie Els was a popular early front runner. His 66 left him four off the pace with fellow South African David McIntyre‚ the 999th ranked player in the world. Oosthuizen changing around knows the on score Friday‚ he posted parallel has universe. to be measured in a Among the leading 26 players after the first round only Kitayama ‚ SA ’ s Zander Lombard, who is on seven under‚ Jake Roos and Charl Schwartzel‚ as well as Germany’s Max Schmitt played the Firethorn layout. Still‚ nine-under is nine-under and Oosthuizen is satisfied. “I drove it really well and gave myself good opportunities to get it close. I was putting nicely. Birdie and birdie just came. Matt [Wallace] and I went through a stage where I’d make a putt‚ then he’d make a putt.
“We were neck and neck the whole time up until 13. It is nice when two guys play good in the group,” Oosthuizen said. Although he will tackle the more demanding Firethorn course on Friday‚ Bushwillow was no breeze. “I have one golf course out of He the Louis cap playing leaderboard hardly for afternoon‚ Oosthuizen partners a handshake looked but early removed up by on to with the Thursday check time his his respectable shorter He round blazed but at curvier lead the his SA way after he Open. Bushwillow around his held opening the a layout‚ round birdies His of on carding lead 62 the that par-71 was‚ a included blemish-free course. however‚ nine trimmed just Kitayama one shot in negotiated the as late American afternoon the more Kurt to demanding tied Kitayama‚ course record Firethorn last week’s 63. layout winner in a of an the eventful Mauritius few Open‚ weeks, has having had come underperforming through qualifying in Hong school‚ Kong‚ and Firethorn shooting on Thursday. a course record at “I’ve been riding that momentum and the putter has been really good so far‚” he said.
Madalitso Muthiya’s scorching outward six-under 29 laid the platform for his opening round 63. Zambia’s Muthiya‚ a product of the University of New Mexico‚ is ranked 1,330th in the world but he belied that lowly position with a flawless round on Thursday.
“Today wasn’t necessarily easy‚” said Muthiya after his round at Bushwillow. “The wind was swirling here and there in gusts. It certainly wasn’t as easy as people say it is‚” Muthiya insisted.
With half the field playing the longer Firethorn layout before