Birdie festival this Thursday in Hartbeespoort, west of Pretoria. South Africans Hennie Du Plessis and Tristen Strydom, Spaniard Nacho Elvira and Englishman Ross Fisher take control of the tournament with a stratospheric score of -10 (62). Very solid too, Frédéric Lacroix (photo) and Julien Brun, the two friends of Team St Laurent, started with a superb 66 (-6) and a 20th place on the leaderboard.
A massacre ! A butcher shop ! Call it what you want. But it is clear that the Pecanwood Golf & Country Cluba par 72 of 7,040 meters, was hardly threatening this Thursday in this first round of the MyGolfLife Opena tournament co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tourthe South African professional circuit.
Of the 156 players involved, 126 posted a card under par. The eagles and other birdies followed one another at a hellish pace, with four golfers posting a huge 62 (-10) to start their South African week. Ten birdies for the local Hennie Du Plessisincluding three on the last three holes (16 to 18).
Eleven for his compatriot Tristen Strydom, including six on its first seven holes (starting from 10), but which however conceded a small bogey on the way. An eagle and nine birdies for the very experienced Ross Fisherwinner of the Ryder Cup in 2010 at Celtic Manor (Wales). The Englishman, second in Ras Al Khaimah Classic on February 13, even found himself in the lead, alone, at -11, before getting stuck on his penultimate obstacle (at 8).
Letting it rip at the 10th ????️#MyGolfLifeOpen pic.twitter.com/MmZvHr9w5w
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 10, 2022
And what about the demonstration offered by the Spaniard Nacho Elvirafree of any bogey but author of an impressive series of seven consecutive birdies between 10 and 16!
Our little Frenchies (six are engaged in the greater suburbs of Pretoria) also had a good time. Frederic Lacroix and Julian Brownthe two friends of the Team St Laurent Dear to Maxime Demory, slammed an excellent 66 (-6) with, for Antibois, a card without crossing out. The duo, which arrives this season from Challenge Tourmoreover signs here his best start on the DP World Tour…
A virtual cut already at… -3
« I am very happyadmits afterwards Frédéric Lacroix at the exit of the recording. I started very strong on the first holes (three birdies in a row), it’s going to play pretty low this week. The driving was pretty solid today, I took quite a few fairways. The putting was good too, I missed a few iron shots on the long par 3s but otherwise it was good. »
With his 67 (-5) of the day, Matthew Pavon is however “relegated” to 37th place ahead of Antoine Rozner, 50th at -4 (68). Beyond a virtual cut currently set at -3, we find Romain Langasque (93rd at -2) and Julian Warrior (116th to -1).
The leaderboard
The French leaderboard
Photo : Octavio Passos / Getty Images via AFP
