Everything you need to know from the first round at Gary Player Country Club.
There were plenty of home favourites in the mix as six players shared the lead after the first round of the 2020 South African Open.
Here is everything you need to know from the first round at Gary Player Country Club.
Bezuidenhout is a man in form
Christiaan Bezuidenhout's bid to secure back to back European Tour titles got off to a strong start as he posted an opening 67 to earn a share of the first round lead. Fresh from his magnificent four shot victory at last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship, the South African made five birdies on his front nine before mixing one birdie with the only bogey of his round on the homeward nine to get to five under par. Justin Rose was the last man to win European Tour events in consecutive weeks back in 2017. Could Bezuidenhout follow suit this week?
Bland finally ends run of pars
Richard Bland's first round may not have been spectacular but it was certainly consistent. The Englishman, who started from the tenth tee, parred each and every one of his first 16 holes before rolling in his birdie putt from around eight feet at the eighth. Bland would give the shot straight back on the ninth to head into the clubhouse on level par.
Great Scots
We didn't see too many eagles out on the course on Thursday, with only five men managing to get one on the card. Two of them were Scottish, with Scott Jamieson taking advantage of the long 18th and David Law getting his on the par five first.
McGowan's incredible bunker shot
Englishman Ross McGowan had a bit of an up and down day in Sun City but produced this moment of magic from the sand on the 14th. No putter required...
Game plan change pays dividends for Korb
Ruan Korb knows all about this week's host course, having played the Investec Royal Swazi Open there at the end of October. He had planned to go into day one with an attacking mindset, but as the breeze arrived in the afternoon, a change of tactics was required. And it paid off, as the South African made six birdies and a lone bogey to grab a share of the lead. He said: "Four weeks ago we played a tournament here and I played six rounds in a row. So I knew the course, I knew the greens and I said to my caddie this morning 'I think we must just attack the flags'. And the wind picked up and I thought I'd maybe play a bit safer."
