Ken Borland

Match number 14 in the first round of the African Bank Championship at Glendower Golf Club on Wednesday featured regular congratulations all round with 14 birdies and an eagle being collected by the three-ball and Martin Rohwer claiming the tournament lead with a seven-under-par 65.

While Rohwer provided seven birdies in a faultless round, colleague Danie van Tonder was no slouch either as he posted a 67 that included five birdies and an eagle at the par-five 13^th. Merrick Bremner was the third member of the group and was unfortunate by all accounts to finish one-over-par with just two birdies.

Port Elizabeth’s Lyle Rowe was alone in second place after shooting a 66 that included a double-bogey at the par-three third but also nine birdies, five of them in a row from the 11^th hole, his second of the day.

“Playing with Danie you just see good shots all the time and you get into a great rhythm. I always seem to play well when I’m with him. Mez [Bremner] was hitting great shots too but unfortunately just couldn’t score. But I started well and played solid the whole round. Glendower is an awesome course and if you hit the fairways today then you could really go for the flags.

“I missed a few opportunities early on but I stayed patient and was able to capitalise later on. It was a bit surreal because at last week’s Rise Up Series event at Killarney, the wind was really blowing but this morning you did not have to worry about that at all. The key was driving well and in winter now the ball runs and then you’re hitting wedges in, whereas last week was more of a second-shot course,” Kloof Country Club’s Rohwer, who turned 27 earlier this week, said.

Rowe said the key to his fine round was putting the ball in just the right place off the tee.

“The fairways slope quite a bit here, so you need to hit the ball on a certain side especially when it’s running so well. The bunkers are also well-placed, but if you can fly them then the ball releases down the fairway quite a lot. So if you drive well then you can score well,” the 33-year-old Rowe said.

For artistic delight though, there was much to appreciate in the splendid six-birdie 67 produced by 19-year-old Jayden Schaper, leaving him tied for third with Van Tonder, Heinrich Bruiners and Oliver Bekker.

“It was a good, solid first round, I’m happy, but I did leave a few out there. My iron play was pretty decent and I hit a lot of greens, but missed a lot of putts from inside six feet. If you hit the ball decently and get in the right places on the green then you can really score,” Schaper said.