Thriston Lawrence and Jacques Blaauw both fired outstanding 10-under-par 62s to share the lead in a meeting of two of South African golf’s most in-form stars in the first round of the SunBet Challenge Times Square Casino at Wingate Park Country Club on Wednesday.
Lawrence, who is currently sixth on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai, is back in South Africa to complete his rehabilitation from a back injury he suffered after the Open Championship a month ago. His first competitive round since then could barely have gone better as he plundered eight birdies and an eagle on the 6740m course in south-eastern Pretoria.
The winner of eight professional events, including four on the DP World Tour, was part of the morning field, while Blaauw, who is leading the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy and is eager to return fulltime to the European tour, was off at 11.50am.
The 38-year-old Blaauw made a blazing start to his round as he set out to catch Lawrence, reaching the turn in six-under-par, which included an eagle on the 381m par-four sixth hole. Although he bogeyed the par-four 11th, Blaauw finished strong with five birdies in the last seven holes.
“I’ve had four weeks off since hurting my back a bit at the Open and I’m not a big fan of hitting lots of balls on the range, so I felt playing this tournament would help my rehab more. And I love to compete,” Lawrence said.
“But I was still quite surprised how well it went because I’ve only played two practice rounds in the last few weeks, I didn’t expect 10-under. But the back is good and game is solid.
“I started on 10 and the eagle came on 18 after I hit a nice drive and had a good number for a nine-iron in; I hit it to three feet for a simple eagle. That got my momentum going, I had four birdies in a row to start the front nine, I was on fire,” Lawrence said.
'STICKING TO THE PROCESSES'
Blaauw, who is enjoying his best season in nearly a decade with five successive top-10 finishes on the Sunshine Tour, including victory in the SunBet Challenge Sun City event, admitted the presence of Lawrence, and the fact he had shot 62, motivated him.
“What Thriston shot told me there was obviously a low score out there. I started quickly so I knew something was up. I’ve been playing good golf of late and it all came together today,” Blaauw said.
“When our DP World Tour stars play here you always want to beat them and Thriston has been playing some unbelievable golf lately. But I’ve showed I can play great golf at home, hopefully, I can do the same elsewhere. Getting full status in Europe has been my plan from January and now it’s just about keeping things going.
“It’s about sticking to the processes, just letting it happen and not trying to force things. Just keep giving myself opportunities because the putter is working,” Blaauw said.
The six-time Sunshine Tour winner’s eagle came when he followed a 300m drive on the sixth with a 90m lob-wedge into the hole.
Another multiple winner on the DP World Tour, George Coetzee, is also making his way back from long-term injury, and he will certainly have a say in where the title goes this week as he shot an eight-under-par 64 on Wednesday.
Young Yurav Premlall also made his presence known with a 66, a score matched by Quintin Wilsnach.
SCORES:
62 - Thriston Lawrence, Jacques Blaauw
64 - George Coetzee
66 - Yurav Premlall, Quintin Wilsnach
67 - Jake Redman, Werner Deyzel, James Mack
68 - Ryan Van Velzen, Kyle De Beer, Stals Swart, Stefan Wears-Taylor, Jaco Ahlers, Franklin Manchest
69 - Therion Nel, Matthew Spacey, Makhetha Mazibuko, Joe Long, Conner Mackenzie, Michael Hollick, Danie Van Niekerk, Neil Schietekat, Keegan Mclachlan, Graham van der Merwe
70 - Jordan Duminy, Doug McGuigan, Hennie Otto, Rupert Kaminski, Ruan Conradie, Rourke van der Spuy, Wynand Dingle, Jason Roets, Darren Fichardt, Dylan Naidoo, Gerhard Pepler, Luke Brown, LB Boshoff, Keagan Thomas, Ethan Smith
71 - Samuel Simpson, Dayne Moore, Jean-Paul Strydom, Martin Rohwer, Daniel van Tonder, Heinrich Bruiners, Jean Hugo, Vaughn van Deventer, Craig Ross, Hennie O'Kennedy, Jacques P de Villiers, Kyle Barker, Nikhil Rama, Lyle Rowe, Ricky Hendler, Christiaan Burke
72 - Jacob Oakley, Allister de Kock, Estiaan Conradie, Jonathan Broomhead, MJ Viljoen, Jbe Kruger, Gregory Mckay, Njoroge Kibugu, Gary Kemp, Kyle McClatchie, Otto Van Buynder, Dan Erickson, Fredrik From, Herman Loubser, Louis Albertse, Altin van der Merwe
73 - Andre De Decker, Christiaan Basson, DK Kim, James Hart du Preez, Malcolm Mitchell, Lyle Pedro, Jovan Rebula, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Combrinck Smit, Travis Ladner, Jabulane Mabilane
74 - Leon Vorster, Sentanio Minnie, Pierre Pellegrin, Albert Venter, Stephen Ferreira, Regan Steyn, Trevor Mahoney, Ruan Korb, Keenan Davidse, Gerard du Plooy, Ruan Groenewald
75 - Brandon Pieters, Jacquin Hess, Ruan de Smidt, Stuart Krog, CJ du Plessis, Rhys West, Hayden Griffiths, Merrick Bremner, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Toto Thimba Jnr, Jaco Van Zyl, Nick Cunningham, Steven Le Roux, Simon du Plooy, Mike Maile, Ronald Rugumayo
76 - Tumelo Molloyi, Irvin Mazibuko, Thabiso Ngcobo, Jared Harvey, Umar Davids, Slenda Sithebe, Adam Breen, Brandon Gildenhuys, Brandon Meads, Keelan van Wyk
77 - Dylan O'Leary, Luke Jerling, Callum Mowat, Thanda Mavundla, Andrew Williamson, Robson Chinhoi
78 - Christian Kriek, Terence Boardman
79 - Mohammad Rauf Mandhu, Tristin Galant, Jastice Mashego, Thabang Simon
81 - Haydn Porteous