South African Darren Fichardt was looking to land consecutive European Tour titles on home soil as he made a flying start to the inaugural Tshwane Open.

The recent Africa Open winner started on the back nine at Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate, turned in 31, then birdied the first to be six under par through 11 holes.

He still had the monster 685 yard par five fourth to come - that was the longest hole in European Tour history and one of three over 650 yards at the Ernie Els-designed layout.

Fichardt was two clear of England’s Gary Lockerbie, Indian Jeev Milkha Singh and Chile’s Mark Tullo.

Fichardt managed to birdie the fourth - compatriot Vaughan Groenewald had taken seven there - and picked up another shot at the sixth, before a first bogey of the day at the next checked his progress slightly.

On seven under he was still two clear of Lockerbie and Tullo, with six players a shot further back including - remarkably - Groenewald, who had five birdies in a row from the 14th.