Christiaan Burke grabbed his opportunity with both hands on Thursday as he carded an opening six-under-par 66 on the Old Course at St Andrews in the first round of the DP World Tour’s Alfed Dunhill Links Championship.
His bogey-free round gave him a share of 11th on a benign day ahead of the horrible weather forecast for the second day when the players all change courses to complete rounds on the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns ahead of the cut after 54 holes and the final round on the Old Course.
Burke was one of a group of young players from the GolfRSA elite squad recently turned pro who cracked invitations to one of the biggest events on the DP World Tours. Others included Casey Jarvis and Martin Vorster.
Burke was five strokes off the lead which was held by France’s Romain Langasque, who had two eagles on his way to a course-record-equalling 61 on the Old Course. Langasque was one stroke clear of countryman Frederic Lacroix, with another Frenchman, Antoine Rozer, sharing third with Denmark’s Niklas Nørgaard Møller.
Also on six-under after a bogey-free round on the Old Course was Oliver Bekker, while George Coetzee continued some strong recent form with a five-under there.
A two-time DP World Tour winner this season, Thriston Lawrence impressed with a five-under opening round at the toughest course in the tournament, Carnoustie. Jaco Ahlers also had a five-under to start with at Kingsbarns.
Louis de Jager at a four-under at Carnoustie, while Hennie du Plessis had a three-under at the Old Course. Shaun Norris and Richard Sterne also carded three-under-par at Kingsbarns.
For all the scores, visit https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/alfred-dunhill-links-championship-2022/leaderboard?round=1&holebyhole=true
