He bogeyed the first hole of the tournament, but things went pretty well for Karabo Mokoena for the rest of the first round of the IGT Challenge Tour’s Road to the Sunshine Tour #3 at Riviera on Vaal Country Club.
Mokoena didn’t drop another shot all day, and picked up an eagle and six birdies on his way to a seven-under-par 65 and a one-stroke lead over Delano Kotze, Sentiano Minnie and Ricky Hendler in a share of second. In third were amateur Christopher Long and Jean van Niekerk and Matthew Rushton on five-under-par 67.
Mokoena responded to his opening bogey with a run of three consecutive pars. He made two birdies in a row on five and six, and then he eagled the par-five eighth as he turned in three-under 36. He birdied the par-five 10th, and picked up three more shots with birdies on the 13th, 16th and 17th.
Kotze had two bogeys on his card, as well as an eagle and six birdies. Minnie also dropped two shots, and made an eagle and six birdies, while Hendler had three bogeys, an eagle and seven birdies for his 66.
