Max Homa of the United States shares the lead after the first round of the 2023 Nedbank Golf Challenge. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
World number eight Max Homa lived up to his billing as one of the favourites to win the 2023 Nedbank Golf Challenge when he opened with a flawless six under par 66 to sit atop the leaderboard with three other golfers after the first round at the Gary Player Country Club on Thursday.
American Homa, who recently starred for the US team at the Ryder Cup in France, is playing at Sun City for the first time. He made six birdies in his round, on holes four, six and nine on the front nine, and on 14, 16 and 18 on his back nine.
The three other golfers to shoot 66 were Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, also recently off playing at the Ryder Cup, Dan Bradbury of England — the defending champion at the Joburg Open, and Vincent Norrman of Sweden.
Hojgaard had eight birdies, but two dropped shots, Bradbury had five birdies, an eagle at the par-5 ninth, and a dropped shot, while Norman had six birdies.
A further three golfers were a shot back of the leaders at five under par, namely France’s Julien Guerrier, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune, and Poland’s Adrian Meronk, who missed a birdie putt on 18 to join the leaders.
Former Open champion, Francesco Molinari of Italy, and another former Joburg Open winner, Shubhankar Sharma of India, were in a large group on four under par, just two off the pace.
Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood had a difficult day at Sun City, recording five birdies to go with two bogeys and a double bogey, on his final hole for the day, on 18, after his second shot found the water.
The South African challenge also didn’t deliver any fireworks as the country awaits its first winner since 2017 when Branden Grace triumphed at the country club.
The best placed local player after the first round was Hennie du Plessis, who’s played a bit on the LIV tour; he shot two-under 70 to be tied 20th, while SA Open champion Thriston Lawrence went round in 71 blows to be tied 31st.
Grace shot 72, Ockie Strydom 75, and Zander Lombard and Louis de Jager 76.