Rowan Lester’s hopes of a big week at the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open were dealt a major blow as the Dubliner struggled to a 10-over-par round of 82 in round one at Heritage La Réserve Golf Links.
Wind gusts of up to 50 kph meant just 33 of the 156 starters ended the day in red figures and there were 15 rounds in the 80s recorded and there is the potential for that number to grow as five groups had yet to complete round one when play was suspended for darkness.
The highlight of the day for Lester came on his third hole – the 12th – where he made an eagle-three, but seven bogeys and three doubles with just the one birdie leave him nine off the provisional cutline.
At the head of affairs, Casey Jarvis and Scott Jamieson broke out of a congested pack to share the first-round lead.
The duo got into the clubhouse after matching five-under-par rounds of 67 and a further 13 players are within two shots of the lead, with the group at four under featuring former champion Dylan Frittelli and Frenchman Alexander Levy, on his first DP World Tour appearance of the season.
Jarvis, winner of two Sunshine Tour events in the past month, birdied the last to cap off a round featuring two eagles.
Jamieson, starting on the back nine, birdied four of his first five holes and eight in all to offset a pair of sixes at the 15th and the first.
The Scot’s one previous win on the DP World Tour came in South Africa at the 2013 Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa, while Jarvis is chasing a maiden victory.
Frittelli and Levy, playing together in the fourth group to tee off on the back nine, set the early target along with Frittelli’s fellow South African Herman Loubser after rounds of 68.
Frittelli, the 2017 champion, was over par until a spectacular finish with three birdies in succession from the fourth followed by an eagle at the eighth.
“The wind was howling and we had three rain squalls come through,” he said. “I was really happy to be under par today. But I’m also starting to learn this course.”
Levy, winner of five DP World Tour events in his career, lost his card last season but showed a glimpse of his best form in a round featuring seven birdies and three bogeys.
“It was tough, I played really good today,” he said. “I’m really pleased with my game, I worked very hard the last months so I’m pleased the hard work paid off, it’s nice.”
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