Rory McIlroy was pleased with his start to 2017 at the BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni but vowed he could go lower after an opening 67.
The World Number Two arrived in South Africa as a hot favourite and his opening effort left him just one shot behind Trevor Fisher Jnr and Keith Horne who both carded six under par rounds of 66.
Conditions were perfect on Thursday and while rain is forecast for Friday and the weekend, McIlroy believes he has the potential to pick up more shots with the weather on his side.
"Yeah, it was good," he said. "The first competitive round of 2017. I'm quite pleased.
"I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances on our front nine, the back nine. That four under could have been probably six or seven but it was a really good way to start.
"It was a bit scrappy in places around the last few holes but five under par is a good way to start to start this tournament.
"Weather-wise, not much wind, there was a score to be had out there. I think 67 I am pleased with but I feel that if we get conditions like that for the rest of the week I can definitely go lower."
After four opening pars, the Northern Irishman put his approach to the par three 14th close to set up a first birdie of the day and he rattled off two more before a 20-footer on the 17th left him just two off the lead after nine holes.
A five-footer on the second had him within one but he failed to get up and down after poor approaches to the fourth and fifth and found himself three back.
His tee-shot to the par three sixth threatened a hole-in-one as it rolled back towards the cup to leave a tap-in and after an excellent par save on the seventh, he recovered from a wayward tee-shot on the eighth to take advantage of the par five.
I am pleased but I feel that if we get conditions like that for the rest of the week I can definitely go lower - Rory McIlroy
"The tee shot I had on 14th, the par three, that one went pretty close," he added. "I think I made three twos today so that was nice. I played the par threes very well.
"But I had a lot of nice shots, I had some good iron shots. I had some really good drives on the front nine, the first nine holes, and so that was encouraging.
"I made a couple of sloppy swings coming in but that's something that hopefully I can work on and try to eradicate for tomorrow.
"I holed a few nice ones but the ones that I missed I feel a little more speed was needed than anything else.
"I've been working hard on my putting, I feel like from August last year to today it's come on leaps and bounds and I hope it can only improve."
