From Sunshine Tour

Christiaan Burke took the confidence of several weeks of good golf and turned it into the first-round lead in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Pezula Golf Estate on Thursday.

On a Pezula course that is in immaculate condition, Burke signed for a nine-under-par 63 to lead by one over Keenan Davidse, CJ du Plessis and Alexander Knappe.

Teeing off the first, Burke turned in four-under before his first and only bogey of the day on the 10th. But he responded with a strong back nine of six birdies in his next eight holes.

“The course is in great condition. The greens are really good. I hit fairways and greens today, but my putting in particular has been really good the last few weeks. So I know if I can give myself chances I can make putts,” said Burke.

Burke has been on a solid run of form on the Sunshine Tour.

In his last five tournament he’s finished no worse than 18th, and he had a runner-up finish in last week’s Stella Artois Players Championship.

“I’ve been playing well the last few weeks. My coach and I have been working hard on my swing and it’s paying off now. It’s just about confidence at the moment. I’m playing off a lot of confidence and the game is feeling good. I can’t wait for the rest of the week,” he said.

Jean Hugo is well placed just three shots off the lead, and as the undisputed master of the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series.

Hugo is a 12-time winner on a series that since its inception in 2004 has defined the careers of many Sunshine Tour professionals.