Casey Jarvis was the best of the South Africans on Thursday, together with Dylan Frittelli, after a pair of opening three-under-par 68s in the first round of the DS Automobiles Open d’Italia at Circolo Golf Torino in Fiano, Torino, Italy.

Jarvis started his round on the 10th, and had reached a bogey-free three-under by the turn. He added another birdie on the first, but bogeys on the second and the sixth slowed his progress. He birdied his final hole, the ninth, and was one of 23 players in a share of 22nd.

Frittelli had four birdies and a bogey in his 68, after starting his round on the first with a birdie and another on the second. He followed that with a bogey on three, but he didn’t drop another shot as he picked up birdies on nine and 18.

Edoardo Molinari birdied four of his last five holes to set a new course record on his home course and surge into the lead after his superb eight-under-par 63. He made 10 birdies and two bogeys as he led Joaquin Niemann by one. The Chilean made eight birdies and a bogey. There were five players on six-under on a day of low scoring.

Jacques Kruyswijk and Daniel van Tonder were on two-under in a share of 45th, while Michael Hollick, JC Ritchie and Ockie Strydom were on one-under in a share of 71st. Zander Lombard, Yurav Premlall and Brandon Stone were all on level-par in a share of 93rd.