Shaun Norris carded a five-under-par 67 on Thursday in the opening round of the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic at Al Hamra Golf Club to be in a share of 12th place.
Norris made eight birdies and three bogeys to finish the day four shots off the lead which was held by New Zealand’s Ryan Fox after the big-hitting Kiwi made 10 birdies and a bogey in his 63. Fox led by two from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, and there were nine players in a share of third on six-under.
Norris shared 12th with nine other players, including Brandon Stone, who had a good run in last week’s DP World Tour event at the same venue. Stone had an eagle and four birdies, but he unfortunately dropped a shot on the 18th when he pulled his approach to the par-five into the water. His eagle came on the par-four fifth. His 324-yard tee-shot finished just left of the left-hand greenside bunker, and, with one foot in the sand and one on the grass, he contrived to chip it in.
Justin Harding and Justin Walters were on four-under in a share of 22nd and Richard Sterne opened with a three-under 69 for a share of 30th. George Coetzee and Daniel van Tonder were on two-under in 51st, while Darren Fichardt was on one-under in 67th. Thriston Lawrence and Zander Lombard were on level-par, and Oliver Bekker was on one-over with Jacques Kruyswijk.
