Edoardo Molinari continued to put his injury problems behind him as the Italian moved into a share of the clubhouse lead on the first day of the Joburg Open.
The 32 year old has been impeded by a string of fitness issues since making his Ryder Cup debut alongside brother Francesco at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.
Having finished tied for ninth in Dubai last week, the former US Amateur Champion compiled a seven under par 64 over Royal Johannesburg & Kensington’s West Course.
That effort was matched by Scotland’s Qualifying School graduate Alastair Forsyth and South African Justin Walters.
Forsyth, a two-time European Tour winner, needed just 30 shots to reach the turn.
“The front nine was probably as good as I've played in a long time,” he said.
“I seemed to do everything right on the front nine, but I struggled a little on the back, where I ended up between clubs a few times. No dropped shots and seven birdies, so I'm never going to complain with that.”
The field are split between the East and West Courses for the opening two rounds before the action descends on the East lay-out for the weekend, and the best effort on the longer East set-up came from English Qualifying School graduate James Heath, who carded a six under 66.
Three Open Championship places are on offer to the best-placed players in the top ten not already exempt, with all of the leading trio yet to secure an invite to Royal Liverpool.
Home favourite George Coetzee looked set to make it a four-way tie at the top when he birdied the 14th from 20 feet and 17th from ten feet, only to bogey the last after his approach came up short of the green.
As a result he joined compatriot Hennie Otto, Heath and Robert-Jan Derksen in a tie for fourth - the Dutchman with two holes still to play.
Scotland’s Craig Lee made it a four-way tie at the top with a best-of-the-day 65 on the East Course, before South African Mark Murless made an incredible start.
A four-time winner on the co-sanctioning Sunshine Tour, Murless had three birdies and two eagles in his first six holes and when he picked up another shot at the ninth was the outright leader and threatening to post The European Tour’s first 59.
However, he turned for home with three pars and a bogey at the 13th to be alongside the quartet of clubhouse leaders.
Lee admitted that the added incentive of a Major Championship debut was spurring him on.
“It's really hard to figure out where you are in the field with two golf courses, and with the east being slightly tougher I feel like I'm in a good position,” he said.
“If we can keep the same level of golf then we might be able to separate ourselves from the bunch.
“You don't really change your strategy, but it's a great reward for three lucky guys who'll get a chance to play in The Open. It's nice to have qualifiers throughout the year and not just geared up to that 36-hole sprint that most qualifiers are. Hopefully we can keep the game up and take one of those spots.”
Walters is also seeking a maiden Major appearance - but may elect not to go to Hoylake even if he qualifies because his girlfriend is due to give birth that week.
“My girlfriend is pregnant, 16 weeks, so the baby is supposed to arrive around the British Open,” he said. “Going into the year when I heard that this was one of the qualifying events I really felt a sense of irony. Finally qualifying for an event I've wanted to play for my whole life, I can see the irony of maybe having to pull out if the baby is arriving.”
Defending champion Richard Sterne was also going well out on the course to be six under through 13 holes as he looks to become the first three-time winner of the event.
