Charl Schwartzel opened with a three-under-par 69 on Friday in the first round of LV Golf International’s event in Chicago to be in a share of eighth.
Schwartzel, who won the first tournament on the circuit, made five birdies and two bogeys, and that left him six shots off the pace by the in-form Dustin Johnson. Johnson didn’t drop a shot while making nine birdies, and he had a three-stroke lead over Open champion Cam Smith of Australia.
Schwartzel shared eighth with countryman Louis Oosthuizen and Bryson DeChambeau.
Branden Grace opened with a two-under-par 70 for a share of 11th, with, amongst others, Phil Mickelson, who had just his second under-par round on the circuit so far.
Shaun Norris brought up the rear in the 48-man field after an opening seven-over-par 79, while Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent was on two-under.
In the team contest, Stinger GC, the South African team, was on six-under in sixth place. That was five shots behind 4 Aces GC, with Johnson, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed.
