DP World Tour : Nedbank Challenge Leaderboard
Max Homa continued his love affair with Gary Player Country Club as the defending champion produced a birdie-birdie finish to lead by one shot after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
American Ryder Cup star Homa is back in South Africa to defend the title he won in memorable fashion on his tournament debut last November.
And it did not take him long to rediscover the fine form that helped him earn that four-shot win, as he made a blistering start on Thursday, kicking off the week with three straight birdies.
Homa made three more gains to storm to the top of the leaderboard before a sticky patch on the back nine saw him surrender two bogeys.
But he bounced back in style, finishing his round with back-to-back birdies to sign for an opening -6 66, and overtake early clubhouse leader Ockie Strydom at the summit.
Home hope Strydom sat alone in second on -5 after carding an eagle, four birdies and a single bogey in his 67. Pablo Larrazábal, Andy Sullivan, Matthew Jordan and Thorbjørn Olesen were then in a tie for third two shots further back all at -3 69 in this limited field event.
Homa said: “I thought I played really well. It was really tricky with the wind, it did a complete flip on seven, so it threw us through a bit of a loop but I thought I did a really good job of adjusting to it.
"Made one mistake on the 15th, leaving it long of that pin, but otherwise I did a pretty good job of playing within myself and not hitting shots I don’t love to hit, so yeah it was good.
“It felt really good because I haven’t played a tournament in a while and I have been working on a lot of new stuff, so to come out and birdie the first three holes was cool. The way I was doing it felt nice and I felt really comfortable with the golf swing for the most part, so it is definitely one I will remember, that is for sure."
edit ** There are 3 Canadians in the field this year for the first time. Regular DP World Tour member Aaron Cockerill took a double bogey 6 on the tough 17th on his way to +4 76 T48.
Mac Hughes opened with -1 71 T12 with 4 birdies and 3 bogey's on his card, while Corey Conners returned to action with E 72 T23 He was -4 standing on the 12th tee, but a bogey at the par 3, then a triple bogey at the 17th after finding water with his approach, then three putting spoiled his day.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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