Jbe’ Kruger opened his defence of the Japan Golf Tour’s Shinhan Donghae Open at Koma Country Club in Nara, Japan with a five-under-par 66 in the first round on Thursday to be in a share of 10^th place.

Kruger started his round on the 10^th tee, and made four birdies after dropping a shot on the 11^th. He got things back on track with his first birdie on the 13^th, and then he made four in a row around the turn from the seventh to the first. He picked up another on the third and then made par all the way home.

At five-under, Kruger was four shots off the lead which was held by Canada’s Richard T Lee, who also started on the back nine, and made four birdies on his way out, and then five on the front nine on his way in without dropping a shot. He led by one from Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, with Thirawat Kaewsiribandit, also on Thailand, in third on seven-under.