Ruan Korb mastered the modified stableford format best on Tuesday in the qualifier of the Investec Royal Swazi Open which the Sunshine Tour is hosting at Gary Player Country Club this year instead of in eSwatini.

The left-handed Korb made 11 points in the format which gives players five points for an eagle, two for a birdie, none for a par, and minus one for a bogey and minus three for a double-bogey or worse. He made six birdies and dropped just one shot to share the top of the leaderboard with Heinrich Bruiners. Bruiners made an eagle, five birdies and four bogeys.

Cameron Moralee was next best on 10 points with an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys.

The other qualifiers were Irvin Mazibuko, Adriel Poonan, Hennie O’Kennedy, Desne van den Bergh, Thabiso Ngcobo, Lindani Ndwandwe and Roberto Lupini.

The main tournament gets underway tomorrow, with a field of 72 playing in one of the longest-running tournaments on the Southern African circuit, having been first played back in 1971. The modified stableford system was first adopted in 2003.

The defending champion is Martin Rohwer.