Alastair Forsyth back in groove as Saltmans get off to flyers

A month after they both won their cards at the Qualifying School in Spain, the Archerfield Links duo took pride of place amongst the Scottish contingent in the Eastern Cape, Elliot signing for a six-under-par 67 late in the day to sit just one shot off the lead, with younger brother Lloyd also in the top 10 after a 68.

Alastair Forsyth, playing in his first European Tour event since losing full playing privileges at the end of last season, also got off to a promising start with a 70, the same as David Drysdale, with Marc Warren and Scott Jamieson a further shot adrift. However, it was the performances of the two Saltmans that produced the main encouragement from a Scottish perspective on the opening day's action on the circuit in 2011.

Both players started their rounds at the ninth, Elliot, who has still to face a European Tour hearing over his disqualification from last season's Russian Challenge Cup, getting into his stride right from the off with a birdie that was followed by four more as well as an eagle at the third. His sole blemish was a bogey at the 14th.

Lloyd, who would have made the cut in the South African Open in Durban before Christmas had the field for the final two rounds not been cut to the top 50 due to a weather delay, also signed for an eagle and five birdies as well as two dropped shots - at the first and second holes. "It is a great start for the both of us," said Lloyd, the Silver Medal winner in the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews. "We came here straight from a family holiday in the Canary Islands and I was a bit unwell over New Year but it's all good now, though."

The 25-year-old was five-under after ten holes before those back-to-back bogeys but continued a useful recent trend of showing he can recover well from such setbacks. "I holed a good 15-foot putt for my bogey at the second after chipping into a bunker and then hit back straight away with a birdie," he added. "That's something I've been doing well since the second stage of the Qualifying School.

It was the same at the final stage and also in Durban, where I was over par going out in each of my rounds but still managed to shoot under par.

"Hopefully I can keep it going - Elliot, too - as it is important to get off to a good start when you've secured a card at the Tour School."After starting with a bogey, Forsyth recovered well with four birdies, the two-time European Tour winner admitting he had benefitted from deciding to go back to basics since making an unsuccessful visit to the Qualifying School along with stablemate Warren.

"I was pretty steady, hitting the ball much better than for quite a while," said the 34-year-old. "I'm not going to get carried away as it is only the first round of the year, but it was the most stress-free round I've had in a long time. Hopefully going back to basics, as I have over the last month or so, will help me become more consistent again."

South African Brandon Pieters shot a 66 to hold the clubhouse lead after a delayed start, with Steven O'Hara having a mixed bag in his 72 while Scott Drummond (78) and George Murray (81) are well down the field.