Kevin Phelan's one shot lead at the Africa Open evaporated as late starter Matt Ford joined him at the top of the leaderboard in the opening round at East London Golf Club.
The Irishman looked to be continuing the momentum generated from his joint second placed finish at the Joburg Open last week when he surged to the top, but Englishman Ford also countered the blustery conditions and wandering wildlife to match Phelan's five under par 67.
Starting his round at the ninth, Phelan dropped his only shot on his third, the par four 477 yard 11th.
But the 24 year old responded in emphatic fashion with six birdies, including three consecutively from the fifth, the last of which was completed when he escaped from behind the trees following a disappointing tee shot.
Phelan said: “I was really happy with it. I played nicely and only had one bogey. I took advantage of the opportunities I had and any time I was close to a green I made it up and down. That’s where all the birdies came from.”
Ford, who was about to spend a winter working for Royal Mail before coming through November's Qualifying School at the tenth attempt, produced the only flawless round of the day which included five birdies, completing two in a row on two occasions.
He said: "I’m very happy. I had no bogeys today, and I think it’s the first time this year that I’ve had no bogeys, so that will keep a couple of people at home happy.
"It was very tough. You’re trying to judge the wind and get it close. There were a couple of pins out there that were on the wrong side of the green for the direction of the wind. You couldn’t get it close and on some holes anywhere near the green was good."
South Africa has provided all five past winners of this event and Neil Schietekat is leading the home charge following a four under 68, with England's Richard Bland, David Howell and John Parry plus Spain's Eduardo de la Riva also among the chasing pack.
Schietekat overcame a bogey at the ninth, his opening hole, with five birdies.
The 31 year old said: "This course is a sleeping beast. With no wind guys will shoot seven or eight under around here, but I’ve heard that it will blow quite hard for the week."
Bland picked up three gains on both the front and back nine, but two dropped shots either side of the turn hampered his progress.
He said: “I had a little bit of a wobble through the middle, but I bounced back well. I hit a lovely shot into the 12th and made a good putt. On 14 today I hit driver, gap wedge and managed to take advantage of it. It was nice to finish strongly.”
The one time Challenge Tour winner would have slipped two off the lead if he had not produced an excellent chip shot to aid a putt for par on the last after over-hitting his approach.
Howell collected a shot on his third and, despite cancelling that out on the next, four more birdies helped his cause while Parry had an eagle, six gains, two bogies and a double to his name.
De la Riva, teeing off later, moved level with Phelan on five under following an eagle and three birdies in his opening eight holes, but double-bogeyed the ninth.
After responding on the tenth, the Spaniard missed the opportunity to move back to the top following a failed birdie putt at the 15th.
Matthew Fitzpatrick was first out and he was one of four players two shots off the lead following a three under par 69.
Andy Sullivan, aiming to make it a hat-trick of victories in co-sanctioned events this year, struggled with a 72 that consisted of five birdies and the same amount of bogies.
The in-form Englishman, despite being five shots off the lead, will take heart from the fact that he produced a level par opening round at the Joburg Open last week and still went on to win.
