Neil Schietekat opened his 2022 Asian Tour campaign with a three-under-par 68 on Thursday to be in a share of fifth after the first round of the 41st GS Caltex Maekyung Open at Namseoul Country Club in Seongnam, South Korea.

He was three shots off the lead held by Korea’s Dongmin Lee. Lee led by one from countryman Hyungjoon, with Koreans Lee Junggon and Hwang Bio Kim in a share of third on four-under.

Schietekat started his round on the 10^th with three pars, and then picked up his first of four birdies on the 13^th. He picked up another on the 16^th, before making the only bogey on his card on the 17^th. He turned in one-under, and made birdies on five and eight.

Other South Africans n the field had an ordinary day: Mathiam Keyser carded a two-over-par 73, Ian Snyman was on three-over 74, and Jaco Ahlers was on four-over-par. Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith signed for a three-over-par 74.