Rowan Lester finds himself in a share of 13th place after the opening round of the Sunshine Tour’s Fitch and Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links on the South African southern coast.
Starting the opening round on the 10th, the Hermitage man was slow to find his groove, dropping a shot on the par-5 13th and parring the other eight to make the turn at +1. Birdies on the second, third, sixth and eighth holes sent him shooting up the leaderboard, but his momentum was halted with a closing bogey on the par-4 ninth, but his two-under-par tally leaves him inside the top 15 and targeting another big week and vital Order of Merit points with the co-sanctioned events with the DP World Tour around the corner.
Liam Grehan has made the cut in each of his last two starts after overcoming a difficult stretch, but a two-over-par 74 left him needing to shoot a round in the 60s if he’s likely to make it three made cuts in a row.
A double bogey on the eighth after trading a single birdie and single bogey in the seven holes prior saw him reach the turn at +2, and two further birdies and bogeys on the back side left him at +2 after day one.
Samuel Simpson took an early tee-off time and used it to his advantage as he signed for an eight-under-par 64 and took the solo lead.
“I’m really happy with today’s round. I think any time you step on St Francis Links, no matter what the weather is, you’ll take that score. Teeing off early this morning was a big advantage, and according to early weather forecasts it was definitely a benefit,” he said after a round of seven birdies and an eagle, with just a solitary bogey.
He is two strokes clear of the resurgent Hennie du Plessis following his 66, with England’s Joe Long among the quartet who share third at -5, three behind the leader.
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