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A number of the other South Africans struggled at the final Major of the year.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout shot a first round 67 at the Open at Royal Portrush on Thursday. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Former SA Open champion Christiaan Bezuidenhout was the best-placed South African after the first round of the 153rd Open Championship being played at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
The 31-year-old who won the SA Open title in 2020, a week after also capturing the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, was among the leaders late Thursday as the first round wrapped up at Portrush.
Bezuidenhout fired a four-under-par 67 to put himself in the mix at the final Major of the year.
During a bogey-free front nine, he made birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh holes to go out in 33 and while he bogeyed the par-four 11th he hit back with an eagle at the next hole, the par-five 12th to record a 34 on his back nine.
The 67 was his best round in Major golf.
Bezuidenhout will play in the morning field in the second round on Friday.
SA players struggle
Several players were at four-under-par, including England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, while world number one Scottie Scheffler shot a 68, to be on three-under-par.
The next best South African after the first round was Dean Burmester, who shot an even-par 71. He had an eagle and three birdies on his round but also three bogeys and a double bogey.
Shaun Norris was at one-over-par after a 72, that included two birdies, one bogey and a double bogey.
Justin Walters was a further shot back at two-over-par after a 73 and certainly not out of the mix. He made four birdies to go with a triple bogey on the par-four fourth hole and three bogeys on his back nine.
Another recent SA Open champion and the man who finished fourth at the Open last year, Thriston Lawrence was also at two-over-par, after making four birdies and four bogeys and one double.
Dylan Naidoo, the most recent SA Open champions, from Durban, was at three-over-par after a decent 74 in his first Major outing.
The other South Africans in the field will have to produce some magic on Friday to make the halfway cut.
Louis Oosthuizen, the Open champion from St Andrews in 2010, is six-over-par, Aldrich Potgieter, a recent winner on the PGA Tour, is also six-over-par, while Darren Fichardt is seven-over-par, Daniel van Tonder at eight-over-par and amateur Bryan Newman at 11-over-par.
