Louis Albertse’s bogey-free six-under-par 66 gave him the first-round lead on Friday in the opening tournament of the Sunshine Tour’s 2022-23 season, the Lombard Insurance Classic at Arabella Country Club.

He made four birdies on the front nine and two on the homeward loop to be one shot clear of Herman Loubser, who has just regained his tour card. One shot further back were veterans Hennie Otto and Keith Horne, and another player returning to Sunshine Tour action after a lengthy break, Dean O’Riley.

“There are always a few things you’re tweaking in your swing,” said Albertse. “After the Tour Championship and the wind there, I felt like there were maybe a few things I needed to fix with my swing. So I had low expectations at the start of my first round here. I just told myself to try and be as comfortable as possible and just keep the ball in play. This is not a long golf course, so if you keep the ball in play then you’ve always got a chance.”

He got out of the blocks fast, with a birdie on the opening hole, and he followed it with two more on three and on five. Then there was a run of three pars until he picked up another shot on the ninth. On the homeward nine, his birdies came on 15 and 17.

It was the kind of round which was almost custom-made to give Albertse confidence so soon after his best season as a pro: He won for the first time last season, and he finished inside the top 50 on the Order of Merit with four other finishes inside the top 10.

“That’s been a big confidence booster for me,” he said. “It’s kind of like a pat on the back to say you’re on the right track.”

With wind likely to be a major influence on the course on the lagoon, his start puts him in a good position for the remaining two rounds. “I think this course is one you have to respect. You have to play a chess game around here,” he said.