Ryan van Velzen made 10 threes in a superb round of eight-under-par 64 on Friday in the opening round of the Sunshine Tour’s Kit Kat Group Pro-Am at Irene Country Club.

It was a bogey-free round from one of South Africa’s former top amateur players, and, incredibly, his eight birdies didn’t include any on the two par-fives on the front nine of the course that was devastated by heavy rains when the tour tried to play the tournament in early February.

“I didn’t even realise I did that,” said Van Velzen. “I knew I made five in a row at one stage on the back nine, though!

“It was just one of my best days as a professional. I hit the ball pretty close all day long, so I didn’t have many long putts. My longest was a 30-footer on 14 for birdie, but, even though that was the case, I putted well. It’s difficult to single out any part of my game that’s better than any other. To score 64 you’ve really got to be doing most things right.”

On a day for low scoring, Van Velzen’s exploits put him one shot clear of Dylan Mostert, with the left-hander also going bogey-free for his seven-under 65. There were three players – Louis Albertse, Malcolm Mitchell and Keagan Thomas – on six-under. There were four more players on five-under, with Merrick Bremner, Ockie Strydom, JJ Senekal and Quintin Wilsnach sharing sixth. Hennie O’Kennedy was 10^th on four-under after his 68.

Van Velzen made just two birdies on the front nine, on the par-four sixth and the par-four eighth. With pars on the two par-threes on the outward nine, that accounted for four of the threes on his card.

He got out of the blocks fast on the back nine, with a birdie-four on the 10^th for his first birdie on a par-five for the day. After a par on the 11^th, he made five threes in a row. Two came on the two par-threes on that nine, but the others were birdies on the par-fours at 12, 14 and 15. He made another birdie on the par-five 17^th, and rounded things off with his 10^th three on the par-four 18^th.

Van Velzen, who turned pro back in September last year, missed the cut in the Sunshine Tour’s season-opening Lombard Insurance Classic, but he made the cut in the following three events he played, with top-15 finishes in the FBC Zimbabwe Open and the SunBet Challenge at Sun City.

“I’m pleased with the way my time on the Sunshine Tour has started,” said Van Velzen. “Those top-15 finishes were very encouraging, and, when I get a score like this, I know I’m doing something right. I’ll go out and try and do it again tomorrow.”