Wilco Nienaber got in to the DP World Tour’s Portugal Masters at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura at the last minute, and he started out with a three-under-par 68 on Friday for a share of 45^th after the first round.

Nienaber, who is ranked 139^th on the DP World Tour Rankings, and needs to get inside the top 120 to have a shot at retaining his playing privileges for the tour next year, made six birdies and three bogeys. At three-under, he was six shots off the lead which was held by England’s Jordan Smith at nine-under. Smith led by one from Jeff Winther of Denmark and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands.

With Nienaber on three-under was Richard Sterne, while Daniel van Tonder was a shot back on two-under in a share of 57^th. Darren Fichardt was on level-par in a share of 87^th, and, in a share of 100^th on one-over was Haydn Porteous. All of those players have work to do if they are to tie up their cards for 2023.