Wilco Nienaber opened with a bogey-free four-under-par 66 on Thursday in the first round of the DP World Tour’s ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm Castle and Massereene in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Nienaber, whose game has been trending in the right direction recently after a lengthy run of indifferent form, played his round on the Massereene Golf Club course, and picked up birdies on the 14th and 16th after starting his round on the 10th, and then had two more on the fourth and the seventh for a share of fifth.
At four-under, he was five strokes off the lead held by Ewan Ferguson of Scotland, who set a course record nine-under 61 on the Galgorm Castle course. Ferguson bookended his closing nine with eagles on 10 and 18. And had three birdies on the front nine and two more coming home. He led by four from England’s Richard Bland, Borja Virto of Spain and Swede Felix Palson.
Sharing fifth with Nienaber was Thomas Aiken, who also had a bogey-free round at Massereene.
Bryce Easton signed for a three-under 67 at Castle Galgorm for a share of 16th, and Haydn Porteous had a two-under at the same course to be in a share of 23rd.
JC Ritchie and Deon Germishuys were on two-over at Castle Galgorm and in a share of 76th, while Ruan Conradie had a four-over 74 on the same course to be in 113th. Louis de Jager was on six-over at Castle Galgorm.
