Trio tied for the lead at FNB Eswatini Challenge

Combrinck Smit focused on keeping the ball in play and not making mistakes, so it was little surprise that he dropped just one stroke on the opening day of the FNB Eswatini Challenge at Nkonyeni Lodge & Golf Estate on Thursday, shooting a 67 to join a three-way tie for the lead.

Jason Roets also dropped just one shot and had an eagle on the par-five eighth, to also post five-under-par, while Stephen Ferreira was outstanding in not having a single bogey in the first round, the only golfer to achieve this on Thursday, to also finish with 67.

Smit’s only blemish came on the par-three 11th, his second hole, but he had birdies on the 10th, 12th, 13th and 15th holes going out, picking up further strokes on the third and eighth holes.

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“I’m very pleased, I kept the ball in play all the time, hit a lot of good shots and tried not to make mistakes. So it was a stress-free round really,” Smit said afterwards.

“This course is an awesome mix of a links on the one side and then a typical bushveld course on the other, and I really enjoy it, it suits me well.

“My game has steadily been getting a little better over the last four or five weeks. I’m experimenting with a couple of things, but it pretty much comes down to getting the basics right. I’d fallen a bit behind on some things and you pick up bad habits. The main thing is just to enjoy it out there, rather than thinking about posting anything in particular,” Smit said.

The Eshowe Hills golfer has no fear when it comes to mixing things up on the course, having the creative shot-making ability required to adapt to the Nkonyeni terrain, especially on the links side. Smit finished tied-sixth here two years ago.

“I think I’ve done well here in the past because I have a lot of options off the tee. I can hit long-irons and get them running, or I can play a high draw or play low shots. I don’t always have to use driver if I’m not confident with the Big Dog,” Smit said.

The 40-year-old Neil Schietekat was in the tie for second place on four-under-par with Daniel van Tonder and Ethan Smith, with the two pivotal moments in his round of 68 coming around the turn.

He eagled the short 274m par-four ninth, but then made double-bogey on the par-four 10th.

SCORES:

67 - Jason Roets, Stephen Ferreira, Combrinck Smit

68 - Daniel van Tonder, Ethan Smith, Neil Schietekat

69 - Altin van der Merwe, Kyle De Beer, Rourke van der Spuy, Franklin Manchest, Keenan Davidse, Thanda Mavundla

70 - Therion Nel, MJ Viljoen, Ricky Hendler, Graham van der Merwe, Shaun Norris, Allister de Kock

71 - Leon Visser, Dan Erickson, Jean Hugo, Robson Chinhoi, Trevor Mahoney, Samuel Simpson, James Hart du Preez, Haydn Porteous, Danie Van Niekerk, Rupert Kaminski, Lyle Rowe, Martin Rohwer, Wynand Dingle, Yurav Premlall, Nick Cunningham

72 - Hayden Griffiths, Luke Brown, Werner Deyzel, Stefan Wears-Taylor, Stuart Krog, Keagan Thomas, Quintin Wilsnach, Brandon Meads, Sean Bradley, Umar Davids, Travis Ladner, Keelan van Wyk, Jacques P de Villiers, Matthew Spacey, Christiaan Burke

73 - Hennie O'Kennedy, Heinrich Bruiners, Brandon Pieters, Albert Venter, Jacques Blaauw, Luke Jerling, James Mack, Ruan Korb, Christiaan Basson

74 - Ruan Groenewald, CJ du Plessis, Steven Le Roux, Dayne Moore, Ryan Van Velzen, Makhetha Mazibuko, Raymond Mathonsi, Simon du Plooy, Callum Mowat, Conner Mackenzie, Stals Swart, Ruan Conradie

75 - Brandon-Jude Rennie, Dylan O'Leary, Jonathan Broomhead, Kyle Barker, Marcel Steyn Scholtz, Ruan de Smidt, Otto Van Buynder, Jovan Rebula, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Kyle McClatchie

76 - Merrick Bremner, Gerard du Plooy, Lyle Pedro, Tristin Galant, Rhys West, Nikhil Rama, Pieter Moolman, Toto Thimba Jnr

77 - LB Boshoff, Herman Loubser, Dylan Mostert, Irvin Mazibuko, Jake Redman, Estiaan Conradie, Brandon Gildenhuys, Joe Long

78 - Gary Kemp, DK Kim, Jean-Paul Strydom, Gerhard Pepler

79 - Ricco Motsa, James Pennington, Adam Breen

80 - Thabiso Ngcobo, Christian Kriek, Sentanio Minnie

81 - Teddy Vilakati, Pride Sembo, Keegan Mclachlan

82 - Musiwalo Nethunzwi

83 - Sanele Myeni, Thabang Simon, Nicholus Vilakati, Nhlanhla Mtsetfwa

84 - Thulane Mkhaliphi, Evance Vukeya

86 - Oscar Dube

87 - Mandla Dlamini Jnr

88 - Jacobus Pienaar

89 - Hanco Rudolph, Robert Shiba