He was in a share of only 20th after the first round of the DP World Tour’s Italian Open on Thursday, but Justing Harding would have been well-pleased with his three-under-par 68.
He started his round on the 10th, and two birdies on the 15th and 16th got him going well. But he dropped a shot on the 17th to turn in one-under. He kept things very tidy on his homeward nine, with birdies on two and nine, and suddenly it must have felt as if he was regaining some of is confidence after a lengthy battle to get back from injury and time off.
He was four strokes off the lead, which was held by Italian Andrea Pavan, Denmark’s Sebastian Friedrichsen and Gunner Wiebe of the United States. They were one stroke clear of Gavin Green of Malaysia and Swede Marcus Kinhult. There were six players on five-under in a share of sixth, and eight on four-under in a share of 12th.
Joining Harding on three-under was Brandon Stone, who made plenty of birdies. He had seven of them, but he also had two bogeys and a double-bogey.
Jacques Kruyswijk was a shot further back on two-under in a share of 31st with Pieter Moolman and 18 other players in a share of 31st. Jayden Schaper opened with a one-under and was in a share of 51st, while Dylan Frittelli, Casey Jarvis, Louis de Jager and Darren Fichardt were all on level-par 71 in a share of 74th.
Thomas Aiken was on one-over, Ockie Strydom on two-over, Zander Lombard on three-over and Jaco Prinsloo on eight-over.
