adminTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter—
ZIMBABWE’S Scott Vincent and Marc Cayeux struggled in the opening round of the European Tour sanctioned BMW South Africa Open at Glendower Golf Club Johannesburg South Africa yesterday.
The duo are the only local players who qualified for the prestigious event whose cut will be determined today.
The BMW South Africa Open has a field of 143 players from across the globe.
Vincent, who played early yesterday morning, finished the first round on four-over par 76 to tie on position 132nd going into todays’ decisive round.
He is ranked 54th on the Sunshine Tour order of merit and will have to battle hard this afternoon if he is entertaining any chances of progressing to the final round.
The scores carded in the morning were better as most of the players who finished in the top ten were in the morning field.
Cayeux had a decent round for someone coming from an injury. He finished on three-over par and will only need to improve on his game this morning to make the final two rounds.
South Africa’s Travor Fisher (Jnr) took an early lead in the morning at six-under par after he made seven birdies in eight holes from the 12th and parred his way home for a 66.
World number two Rory McIlroy, who is part of the field, made an impressive start with a new set of clubs, shooting a five-under 67.
The Northern Irishman was making his first appearance at the tournament since 2008 and he managed to roll in seven birdies, including four straight birdies from holes 14-17, after starting at the 10th. Thomas Aiken, Jordan Smith and Zimbabwe-born Dean Burmester were alongside McIlroy after a five-under 67.
Ernie Els and defending champion Brandon Stone started on two-over par 74.
South African players have won 13 of the last 19 editions of the SA Open.
Online Reporter