JC Ritchie overcame a double-bogey six on Thursday in the first round of the HotelPlanner Tour’s GAC Rosa Challenge Tour at Rosa Golf Club in Konopiska, Poland to card a three-under-par 67.

He also made six birdies and a bogey, and he ended the day in a share of 19th place, three strokes off the lead. Up front, there was a three-way share of the lead at six-under-par between John Gough of England, Spain’s Sebastian Garcia and Welshman Toby Hunt. The were one clear of six players in a share of fourth on five-under-par.

Among the 13 other players sharing 19th with Ritchie on three-under were fellow-South African Bryce Easton and Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith.

Jovan Rebula was on one-under in a share of 51st, and Justin Walters was on level-par in a share of 73rd. Daniel van Tonder battled his way to a three-over-par 73 and he was down in a share of 116th.