Paul Boshoff shrugged off a bogey on the first hole and marched on to an eventful round of 64 to tie Francois Van Der Walt who was already in the clubhouse with a blemish-free 64 of his own on day one of the seventh tournament of the Betway Big Easy season at CRM Golf Club on Tuesday.
Contrary to Van Der Walt’s fortunes when he made eagle on that first hole, Boshoff made a bogey there to start his day.
But it was to mean very little as the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate player would soon let loose. Boshoff followed up that drop with a par on the second before sinking three birdies back-to-back.
A par on nine paved the way for a brace of birdies on 10 and 11, with a sneaky bogey threating to derail his progress on 13. O
nce again, Boshoff recovered swiftly; birdieing 14, 16 and sealing his round with an eagle. All in all, a brilliant round of golf!
Van Der Walt was just as scintillating on his way to an untainted round of 64. His rapid start saw him go five-under in the first four holes, thanks to a pair of eagles and a birdie to mark a fantastic start.
He backed those up with another birdie on six to turn in 31 and bogey-free. A par on nine marked a run of seven pars on the trot as Van Der Walt sought to manage what was left of the first 18 holes.
He made further gains in the latter stages of the round; birdieing 16 and 18 to close off what was one of the best rounds on Tour this season.
While both Boshoff and Van Der Walt will be satisfied with their day’s work, they will both know of the challengers that lurk ever-so-dangerously.
Benoni Country Club’s Warwick Purchase and Maccauvlei’s Johan Theron shot seven-under each and share third. Purchase has already tasted victory on Tour and will want to call on that experience as he searches for more glory.
His bogey-free 65 has given him a strong start and he will want to emulate Tuesday’s performance in the next second round of this 54-hole event.
Luke Mayo continued with the good form that took him into a playoff with Musiwalo Nethunzwi in Soweto a fortnight or so ago; carding a blemish-free 66 to tie fifth with Richard Joubert, who’s own 66 had no blemishes.
Eighteen-year-old amateur and CMR Golf Club member Yusuf Dadoo capitalised on his knowledge of the terrain here, carding a near-perfect 67 to take a share of fifth ahead of the second round.
Mark Maart was the leading member of the Papwa Sewgolum Class after day one, sharing fifth with the aforementioned Dadoo, veteran Ulrich van den Berg and Reece McKain.
SCORES:
64 - Francois Van der Walt, Paul Boshoff
65 - Warwick Purchase, Johan Theron
66 - Richard Joubert, Luke Mayo
67 - Yusuf Dadoo, Ulrich van den Berg, Reece Mc Kain, Mark Maart
68 - Luke Trocado, Tyron Davidowitz, Eric Wowor, Matthew Rushton, Erhard Lambrechts, Jabulane Mabilane
69 - Jason Froneman, Jaden Deltel, Joe Knox, Keelan Africa, William Geach, Lwazi Gqira, Thomas Spreadborough, Louis Liebenberg
70 - Slenda Sithebe, Jacques Van der Merwe, Ivan Mare, Khanya Mkhize, Nicholaus Frade, Jastice Mashego, Xander Basson, Slade Pickering, Harry Konig, Christiaan Pretorius, Eben Spangenberg
71 - Nicholas Adams, Kael Strydom, Adriel Poonan, Philip Geerts, Gerard du Plooy, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Marcel Steyn Scholtz, Kyle Lucas, Kian Coetzer
72 - Ryan van der Klis, Leon Visser, Henning du Plooy, Jonathan Williams, Noel Anderson
73 - Basil Wright Jr, Shaydon Johnson, Dean Ralphs, Mutahi Kibugu, Sabelo Xolani Majola, Carlos Losper, Coert Groenewald
74 - Tiger Adams, Brandon-Jude Rennie, Lyle Pedro, Tawriq Abrahams, Ryan Tipping, Jules Helary, Eugene Du Plessis
75 - Thanda Mavundla, Jonathan Waschefort, Letsoso Letsai, Shalan Govender
76 - Tyrone Ryan
77 - Ricco Motsa
78 - Muhammad Dadoo, Andre Van Dyk
79 - Llewellyn Leibrandt
80 - Michael Kok, Terence Mogapi, Jarryd Govender
81 - Tumelo Molloyi
82 - Boeta Nasie
DSQ - Thabang Simon