By Michael Vlismas.
Caption: Stals Swart. Photo Credit: Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour.
Port Edward – Stals Swart made good use of an early tee-time to negotiate a windy Wild Coast Sun Country Club course and lead the field by two shots on six under par after Thursday’s opening round of the Sunbet Challenge Wild Coast.
The chasing group on four under par are the Sout Africans Rupert Kaminski, Adam Breen, Travis Ladner, Trevor Fisher Jnr, Haydn Porteous, Tyran Snyders, and Keagan Thomas, as well as Ireland’s Liam Grehan.
Swart, who is still searching for his maiden Sunshine Tour title, started his round on the back nine and only dropped one shot in his 64.
“I am very pleased with my round of golf today. I drove the ball very well, and my favorite shot was the tee shot on the fifth hole. I hit the nicest five iron off the tee. My game plan coming into the week was to hit into smart spots and it seemed to work today. There are a few puts I rolled in today which I am very pleased with because the last few years I’ve been here I have been struggling on the greens,” said Swart.
The wind is always a factor at the coast – something that Swart is fully aware off going into Thursday’s second round.
“With the windy conditions I think ball striking is key, so I’ll just try and hit into the correct pockets and that will be the plan going forward – hitting it low into the wind,” he said.
The defending champion, Australia’s Austin Bautista, signed for a two-under-par 68, with the current Courier Guy Order of Merit leader, Samuel Simpson, one shot further back.