Jacques P de Villiers led 10 qualifiers into the Sunshine Tour’s Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open on Tuesday when he carded a bogey-free eight-under-par at Rondebosch Golf Club.

The main tournament tees off at Royal Cape on Thursday, and it also marks the start of the Challenge Tour’s 2023 season in the first of four tournaments in South Africa for that circuit.

De Villiers made three birdies on the front nine, and then reeled off five on the homeward nine to take a two-shot margin over Bradley Bawden of England. Rhys West, Erhard Lamprechts, Jovan Rebula and Andre van Dyk shared third on five-under-par.

The balance of the qualifiers was made up by Chris Cannon of England, Clancy Waugh of the United States, and Gregg Upton and Matthew Spacey of South Africa on four-under. Toto Thimba Jnr and Callum Mowat also finished on four-under, and did not get into the main field through the qualifier after missing out in a six-way play-off for four places.