Louis de Jager was the leading South African after the first round of the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open when his six-under-par 66 at Rondebosch Golf Club put him in a share of third, one stroke off the lead.
De Jager made three birdies on each of the nines in his round, and that kept him in touch with the leaders who were Christofer Blomstrand of Sweden and Ivan Cantero Gutierrez of Spain. Blomstrand carded his round at Rondebosch, while Gutierrez went seven-under at Royal Cape Golf Club. The players will play a round on each of the course ahead of the cut, after which the tournament will be completed at Royal Cape.
De Jager shared third with Italy’s Matteo Manassero and Ireland’s Paul Dunne in the second tournament this year on the Sunshine Tour which is being co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour.
In a cosmopolitan share of sixth were France’s Adrien Pendaries, Niklas Lemke of Sweden, Dutchman Lars van Meiljel and Daniel Hillier of New Zealand. There were six South Africans amongst the 13 plyers in a share of 10th on four-under-par: Zander Lombard, Nikhil Rama and Dylan Naidoo got their 68s at Royal Cape, and Neil Schietekat, Ulrich van den Berg and Keenan Davidse, all got theirs at Rondebosch.
Defending champion JC Ritchie opened his title defence with a three-under-par 69 at Rondebosch, a score he shared with another former champion in Jaco Ahlers who played his first round at Royal Cape. Jake Roos, who won the very first Cape Town Open back in 2012, carded a one-under-par 71 at Rondebosch.
