It was a slow start on Thursday for the South Africans in the field of the Challenge Tour’s Black Desert NI Open at Galgorm Castle Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and Wilco Nienaber was one of the best of those with his one-under-par 69.

Nienaber shared 28^th place after the first round with, amongst others, Robin Williams, and they were six strokes off the lead. Joakim Lagergren of Sweden carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 63 which included an eagle and five birdies.

Nienaber and Williams both had to overcome double-bogeys in their opening rounds, and Williams actually had two double-drops on his card. Nienaber’s came on the 13^th, and he also made bogey on the 17^th after starting his round with three consecutive birdies from the 10^th. He dropped three more shots on his homeward nine, on the first, sixth and seventh, and he made seven birdies in total.

Williams made double-drop on the third and the 12^th. He started his round on the first, and he made six birdies and a bogey during his opening round.

Deon Germishuys, Dylan Naidoo and JC Ritchie were all on level-par in a share of 40^th, while Louis Albertse was on two-over. Bryce Easton was on three-over, and JJ Senekal battled to a seven-over 77 and was in a share of 142^nd.

Rhys Enoch of Wales and Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith were on one-over in a share of 61^st.