South Africa's Jacques P de Villiers tamed a windy Wild Coast Sun Country Club with a sublime 63 to share lead with England's Joe Knox in Wednesday's first round of the Sunbet Challenge hosted by Wild Coast Sun.
“Today was really good. I hit the ball nicely with good control. The conditions were, however, really tough,” De Villiers said.
De Villiers started his round on the 10th hole and, as is often the case at the Wild Coast Sun, was playing straight into the teeth of the wind early on.
“I started my round with the wind blowing a lot. Holes 11, 12, 13 and 14 play into the wind and they are very tough. I got through those at one under par and used my chances from there on. It wasn’t a very spectacular round but I did make eight birdies and putted well, which helped a lot,” he said.
The first round ends with Jacques De Villiers and Joe Knox top of the leaderboard 📊#SunbetChallenge #SunbetChallengeWildCoast #SunshineTour #GreatnessBeginsHere pic.twitter.com/U1aGSBx9MN
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) September 3, 2025
De Villiers is still looking for a maiden Sunshine Tour title, but doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself.
“I am really looking forward to the following two rounds, but there is still a lot of golf left. I have to keep my head up an be patient because that is what this course demands. Hopefully some putts can fall and good things can happen."
Albert Venter (65) is two strokes further back and the leaders' nearest challenger on five under par, followed by Michael Hollick (66) and Samuel Simpson (66) on four under par.
Jonathan Broomhead, the winner of last month’s Sunbet Challenge hosted by Time Square at Wingate Park Country Club, had to settle for a level-par opening round of 70.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
63 - Jacques P de Villiers, Joe Knox
65 - Albert Venter
66 - Michael Hollick, Samuel Simpson
67 - Herman Loubser, Jake Redman
68 - Pierre Viallaneix, Ruan Korb, Xander Basson, Quintin Wilsnach, Jacques Blaauw, Christiaan Burke, Anthony Michael, Kyle Barker, Lyle Rowe, Slade Pickering
69 - Wynand Dingle, Malcolm Mitchell, Austin Bautista, Eric Wowor, Warwick Purchase, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Trevor Mahoney
70 - Otto Van Buynder, Rhys West, Pieter Moolman, Jonathan Broomhead, Altin van der Merwe, Stuart Krog, Colin Nel, Fredrik From, Jean-Paul Strydom, Rourke van der Spuy, Ruan Groenewald, Allen John, Estiaan Conradie, Christian Kriek, Tyran Snyders, Alex Haindl
71 - Kyle De Beer, MJ Viljoen, James Mack, Peter Karmis, Keanu Pestana, Thanda Mavundla, Ethan Smith, Ryan van der Klis
72 - Tyrone Ryan, Keenan Davidse, Luke Jerling, Conner Mackenzie, Jacques Van der Merwe, Ruan de Smidt, Stals Swart, Simon du Plooy, Neil Schietekat, Oliver Bekker, Luke Brown, Hennie O'Kennedy
73 - Kian Rose, Doug McGuigan, Jason Roets, Heinrich Bruiners, Matthew Spacey, Gerhard Pepler, Brandon Meads, Rowan Lester, Tyron Davidowitz, Leon Vorster, Ruan Conradie, Kyle McClatchie, Hayden Griffiths, Sentanio Minnie
74 - Liam Grehan, Jean Hugo, Dylan Mostert, Luis Carrera, Karabo Mokoena, Zachary Chegwidden, Thomas Spreadborough, Jacquin Hess, Musiwalo Nethunzwi, Makhetha Mazibuko, Jastice Mashego, Luke Mayo
75 - Mikkel Antonsen, Graham van der Merwe, Benjamin Van Wyk, JJ Senekal, George Coetzee, Yurav Premlall, Luca Filippi, Jordan Burnand, Jason Broomhead, Robson Chinhoi, Keegan Mclachlan, Tristen Strydom
76 - Jordan Duminy, Tomas Gana, Rupert Kaminski, Keagan Thomas, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa, Danie Van Niekerk, Werner Deyzel, Sean Cronje
77 - Jonathan Waschefort, David Amm, Ricky Hendler, Franklin Manchest, Nick Cunningham, Logan Leisher, Thabiso Ngcobo
78 - Christiaan Basson, Ruben Van Der Berg
79 - Richard Kruger, Nikhil Rama, Marcel Steyn Scholtz
80 - Gregory Mckay, Umar Davids
81 - Lindani Ndwandwe
82 - Toto Thimba Jnr, Robert Mavundla
84 - CJ du Plessis