Martin Vorster hit a towering four-iron into the par-five 10th at The Club at Steyn City on Thursday to within five feet to set up a superb eagle on his way to a stunning eight-under-par 64 and a share of the first-round lead of the Jonsson Workwear Open.
It was the kind of ball-striking that made him such an exciting prospect as an amateur, and, although he didn’t think he putted particularly well, he had just 12 putts on the back nine as he joined veteran Darren Fichardt at the top of the leaderboard. They held a one-stroke edge over Swedes Sebastian Soderberg and Joakim Lagergren, Nick Bachem of Germany, and compatriot Hennie O’Kennedy, who were in a share of third.
“I really hit the ball well today,” said Vorster, “and that’s something I’ve been working really hard on with my coach Doug Wood. I’ve felt that my ball-striking has been there in flashes, but today, I felt like it was there all day. That really helps, because I feel like I know what shape to hit, and the control I have as a result is important if I am to play well.
“I didn’t feel as if I putted particularly well today. I rolled the ball well enough, but nothing seemed to drop for me on the front nine. It was much better on the back nine,” he added. He was right: He had 16 putts on the front nine, and one-putted only twice, but there were no fewer than six one-putts on his way in as he charged home in 30.
Fichardt, like Vorster, was bogey-free as he rolled back the years. “I didn’t have a great warm-up,” he said. “My first two holes, I told myself to just swing easy and just try and get it in the fairway and try and get it close to the green. I managed to make birdie, and then I had two good shots on the next hole and made birdie, and that was me!”
There were eight players in a share of seventh on six-under, including George Coetzee who was bogey-free in a round that included a chip-in for par on the fourth, and Jayden Schaper, who had three bogeys in his round which started on the 10th, including two in his final four holes.
Behind them, in a share of 15th on five-under, Daniel van Tonder showed a welcome return to form with his bogey-free 67.
For Vorster, who has shown flashes of his potential since turning professional, the feeling of hitting the ball well consistently is going to help him as the tournament progresses. “I won’t be doing anything differently,” he said. “But when I am hitting the ball like this, I feel like I can play the way I know I can.”
It will be worth watching.
