Thorbjørn Olesen shot a course record six under par 65 on his return from injury to grab the first round clubhouse lead at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
The Dane, who has been out for three months following hand surgery, mixed eight birdies with two bogeys at Heritage Golf Club to lead South Africa’s Oliver Bekker and Australian Terry Pilkadaris by a shot.
Starting on the back nine, Olesen raced out of the traps with four birdies in his first five holes and picked up further gains at the 16th and 18th – either side of a dropped shot on the 17th – for an outward 31.
Another bogey followed on the first, but Olesen birdied the fifth and completed his scoring with a ten footer on the seventh.
“All in all my short game was very good today and that’s why I’m six under.
“It’s a good golf course, you can see almost everything from the tee out there and it’s in perfect condition.”
In the first event to be tri-sanctioned by The European, Asian and Sunshine Tours, all three tours were represented in the top three with Sunshine Tour regular Bekker and the Asian Tour's Pilkadaris second on five under.
Zambia’s Madalitso Muthiya, American Daniel Woltman, South Africa’s Dean Burmester and England’s John Parry were tied for fourth on four under, with former amateur star Matt Fitzpatrick in the group a shot further back.
