Casey Jarvis carded a four-under-par 68 on Thursday in the first round of the Challenge Tour’s Italian Challenge Open at Golf Nazionale in Viterbo, Italy to be just three shots off the lead.
Jarvis started his round on the 10th with a birdie, and dropped a shot on the 13th. But, after that, he was bogey-free with three birdies in a row on 17, 18 and one, and then a final birdie on the seventh. That put him in a share of 14th, with the lead being held by Ashley Chesters of England on seven-under-par 65.
In a share of 14th with Jarvis was Dylan Mostert, who also had five birdies and a bogey. One shot off the lead were four players on six-under-par 66, with eight players on five-under in a share of sixth.
Brandon Stone finished on three-under-par 69 in a share of 21st, while Luke Jerling was in a share of 33rd on two-under. Pieter Moolman was on level-par with Jaco Prinsloo, while Yurav Premlall was on three-over, Haydn Porteous and JJ Senekal were on four-over-par.
On the DP World Tour, it was a quiet day for South Africans with Louis de Jager and Zander Lombard the best-placed on one-over in a share of 27th. The lead was held by Robert MacIntyre of Scotland on six-under-par 64. He led by two from Ross Fisher of England.
