South African Nic Henning produced a sensational course-record equalling 62 over Royal Johannesburg & Kensington’s West Course to lead after the opening round of the Joburg Open.
The 45 year old, who won four times on the co-sanctioning Sunshine Tour between 1999 and 2005, had five birdies and an eagle two in a remarkable outward 29 at a venue where he won the South African Amateur Championship back in 1991.
The European Tour’s first 59 seemed a distinct possibility at that stage, but gains at the 15th and 16th were Henning’s only deviations from par after the turn as he matched Desvonde Botes’ nine under par course record.
“It was fantastic - I haven’t shot 29 for a couple of years, and I was a bit nervous coming down the last hole,” said Henning. “On the last hole of the front stretch I told myself that I had to make birdie and eventually I did that.
“I’ve been playing well for the last few months, but my scores haven’t showed it. Over the last few years my scores have been really terrible and it’s nice to have a good round under the belt to prove to myself that I can still play well.
“It’s been a long time since I shot 62. I’ll try to do the same thing as I did today, just try to stay calm. I was calm today. I’ll try to hit fairways and put myself in a good position. It’s about staying in the moment and taking every shot as it is.”
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and two more of the home contingent, Titch Moore and Tjaart van der Walt, were a shot further back on a day of low scoring.
The 23 year old Pieters, who has already had two top-ten finishes in 2015 to climb to 26th on The Race to Dubai, had five birdies in an outward 31.
Further gains at the tenth and 12th were followed by an eagle from 20 feet at the long 15th, and at that stage Pieters needed three birdies in his last three holes for a magic 59.
However, he dropped a shot at the next and, although a birdie at the 17th gave him a chance of bettering Desvonde Botes’ course record 62, a poor chip at the last led to another bogey and an eight under par 63.
That was matched by Moore, who had six birdies and a hole-in-one at the short fifth, and van der Walt, who made a remakrable ten birdies as well as two bogeys.
“It was a good day and a good start,” said Pieters, who was beaten in play-off for last year’s Open de España by Miguel Angel Jiménez.
"You need to make a good score on this course, so I’m happy and hopefully we’ll have more of the same tomorrow.
“It’s very possible to go low on east. The par fives are very reachable for me, so I’m going to take advantage of those.
“This season I gave myself a great chance in Abu Dhabi. I also had a top-ten at Leopard Creek, but I wasn’t really in contention. In the Middle East I played good, but had one bad round in there. If I can play four solid rounds then hopefully a win will come soon.”
The bumper 210-man field are split between the West and East courses for the first two rounds before descending on the more difficult east track for the weekend, and it was no surprise that most of those on the leaderboard were tackling the west set-up first.
England’s Sam Hutsby and South African Wallie Coetsee posted the best scores from the East Course – both signing for six under par rounds of 66 to sit in a share of eighth.
“I think it’s a good draw to make a decent score on this course to try and settle in,” said Challenge Tour graduate Hutsby.
“I’ve missed my last six cuts so I’ve been really poor this year, but I’m pretty confident I can make the weekend now and try and push on.”
Newly-appointed Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke birdied his last two holes on the east Course for a level par 72.
