South Africans to the fore on a low-scoring opening day

IDYLLIC conditions helped South African Richard Sterne and four rivals to fire opening rounds of seven-under-par 66 and share the lead after the first day of the Africa Open yesterday.

Sterne and fellow South Africans Titch Moore and Trevor Fisher were joined at the top of the leaderboard by Sweden's Patrik Sjoland and Denmark's Mark Haastrup at the East London Golf Club.

Four players, including world No 65 Charl Schwartzel of South Africa – the highest-ranked golfer in the field – were one shot behind on six-under-par on the par-73 course.

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Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, chasing a place in Europe's Ryder Cup team for the October clash at Celtic Manor in Wales, had a 69 that included six birdies and two bogeys.

Stephen Gallacher, making his first appearance in a regular European Tour event in nearly six months after being sidelined with a viral illness, leads the Scottish challenge after a three-under-par 70, one better than Steven O'Hara, Andrew McArthur, Alan McLean and Jamie McLeary.

O'Hara, who regained his Tour card at the Qualifying School in December, would have been closer to the lead but for two dropped shots in the final three holes.

Callum Macaulay and Peter Whiteford are a further shot adrift after a day that saw all seven Scots in the field break par.

Predicted high winds failed to materialise and Sterne, a five-times winner on the European Tour, was the first to take advantage of the good conditions.

An early starter, the 28-year-old took the clubhouse lead before the afternoon three-balls teed off thanks to a bogey-free round that included seven birdies.

"I got off to a bit of a slow start today but I made some good putts for par and that kept my round going," said Sterne. "That's the key. I normally hit the ball pretty decent but I need to roll in those 20-footers and I had about eight or nine of them today so that helped."

Moore, Fisher and Sjoland all teed off in the afternoon with Moore and Sjoland birdieing their last holes of the day to sneak into the five-way tie.

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Haastrup was the last player to edge into a share of the lead thanks to a birdie on the 376-yard, par-4 18th hole.

England's Nick Dougherty had a disappointing day as he carded a three-over-par 76. His compatriot, Robert Coles, had a superb run as he reeled off six consecutive birdies to move into a share of the lead but the 37-year-old's charge was ended by a double-bogey on the par-4 seventh hole and he finished the day on five-under -par.

The Africa Open is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and South Africa's Sunshine Tour.

SCORES IN DIGEST, PAGE 53