Jaco Ahlers was the only one of the six players who shared the lead on Thursday who didn’t make a bogey as he carded a six-under-par 66 in the first round of the Asian Tour’s St Andrews Bay Championship at the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland.
Ahlers made six birdies without dropping a shot to join Australian Andrew Dodt, David Puig of Spain, India’s Veer Ahlawat and Anirban Lahiri, and Mito Pereira of Chile in a one-shot lead over eight players on five-under-par 67. There were also eight players on four-under in a share of 15th place.
Ahlers started his round on the 10th, and got his scoring off to a brisk start with birdies on the 10th and 11th. He picked up three more on his opening nine, on the 15th, 17th and 18th. He was able to pick up just one more shot on the homeward nine, on his final hole of the day.
One of the players on five-under was South African Ian Snyman, who also had six birdies, but dropped a shot on the par-four fourth hole.
The youngster Yurav Premlall was the next-best South African with a three-under 69 putting him in a share of 23rd. Jbe’ Kruger had a two-under 70 for a share of 34th and NeilSchietekat had a one-under 71 for a share of 52nd.
Dean Burmester and MJ Viljoen, Bloemfonteiners both, were on two-over 74 after the first round.
