Kyle McClatchie took his first step towards regaining his Sunshine Tour card on Tuesday with a bogey-free five-under-par 66 in the opening round of the Sunshine Tour Qualifying School Final Stage at Heron Banks Golf & River Resort.
For a former South African amateur number one, it’s been a frustrating journey as a professional. With only eight cuts made in the 2023-24 season, and a best finish of a share of 23rd, he clearly neds a reset to what should have been a fulfilling first few years as a professional.
Starting his round on the par-three 10th in the windier and more testing conditions of the day in the afternoon, he made three birdies on his opening nine, and two on his homeward nine. That gave him a share of the lead with amateur Gary Kemp, who made two bogeys in his 67.
The pair had a one-stroke lead over six players on four-under 67 including amateur Altin van der Merwe, Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo, Ireland’s Rowan Lester and Australian Austin Bautista. And one shot further back was a group of nine players, including veteran Colin Nel looking to make a return to tour life and three more amateurs in Dehan Joubert, Simon du Plooy and Joshua Wiese.
