DP World Tour : Investec South African Open Leaderboard
Joakim Lagergren carded an excellent bogey-free round of 65 to take a one-shot lead after day one of the Investec South African Open Championship.
One of the most consistent performers on the DP World Tour in recent years, the Swede is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2023 season and looked back to his best at Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate.
He carded seven birdies in his lowest round since March to lead the way from local favourite Casey Jarvis, with 2015 champion Andy Sullivan and home favourites Louis de Jager and Jovan Rebula (nephew of Ernie Els ) at five under.
Lagergren finished in the top 100 on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex for eight consecutive seasons after graduating from the Qualifying School for the third time in 2014.
An ankle injury in the summer hindered his play last season as he finished 170th and a sixth career trip to Q School was unsuccessful, resulting in a medical exemption for the Opening Swing which he is looking to make the most of.
"Golf was fun today," he said. "It is a tough course, it's long so to shoot seven under around here, I'm very pleased with that. Lag putting is going to play a huge part this week when you're going to hit a lot of greens but be maybe 20 meters way. I did that well today.
The longest course in DP World Tour history, Blair Atholl contains five par fives, with four of them playing over 600 yards, and Jarvis birdied every one in the opening round.
There was a group of ten players at four under including December 2020 champion Christiaan Bezuidenhout and four-time DP World Tour winner Matteo Manassero.
edit******* Canadian Aaron Cockerill who has been in South Africa for nearly a month opened with 3 birdies and 3 bogey's E72 T61 well down the field T61.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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