Tom Lewis is one of seven players that share a one-stroke lead atop a congested day one leaderboard in the CIRCA Cape Town Open at Royal Cape Golf Club.
Englishman Lewis signed for a seven under par 65 late on day one to join countrymen Will Enefer and Sam Hutsby, Norwegian Baard Skogen, South African Louis Albertse, Scotland’s Marc Warren and Irishman Gary Hurley with a one-shot advantage in the Mother City.
Lewis, a two-time DP World Tour winner, carded a bogey-free opening round, with five birdies and an eagle at the par five 16th in tough afternoon conditions.
“It was a nice round,” he said. “I haven’t played in a tournament for a while so to go bogey-free is always good. It shows you’re hitting it very well and putting well.
“I holed some good putts and held on towards the end. It was getting windy out there, so I’m pleased with the score. I think I made it look a little easier than what it is, which showed that I hit it well off the tee.”
Enefer, starting on the tenth, made the turn three under par before a run of five birdies in six holes from the second, and despite a bogey at the eighth remains in a share of the lead heading into round two.
Hurley carded two eagles in his opening round of 65, as he made the most of the par fives on the parkland layout on day one.
The 33-year-old, who returned to the tee last week following a prolonged period away from the game due to injury and was proud of what he produced over his opening 18 holes.
“I was hitting the ball really nicely before coming here,” he said. “At the same time, I haven't played in a year, so I was trying not to get too excited about how I was playing.
“It was nice to feel that today. There's leaderboards everywhere, so you can see what's going on. I knew it was a good score because it was windy.
“I hit a lot of really good shots. I'm proud of myself.”
South African Louis Albertse, who remains on the hunt for a maiden HotelPlanner Tour title, registered five birdies in six holes on the back nine to join the group at seven under.
“I don't think you can ever complain with a seven under to start the tournament,” he said. “There’s a long way to go, but yeah, I’m excited.
“I think my expectations here this week were pretty low which I think helped. I tried to keep the ball in play and give myself as many chances as possible.”
Warren was another to go bogey-free, as he battled blustery winds to join the leaders.
The 44-year-old, who made an encouraging start to the 2026 Road to Mallorca with a tied 22nd finish in the season-opening SDC Open last week, says his experience of playing in his home country helped negate the testing conditions.
“I’m very pleased with my work this afternoon,” he said. “Being Scottish helps, playing in wind like this fairly often.
“There were some good signs last week, practice had gone well this week, and I’m feeling comfortable in my swing.
“I managed to control my ball flight and kept it pin high most of the day. I’m very pleased with my work this afternoon.”
Hutsby started on the tenth and made his first birdie of the day on the 13th, before adding five gains in a row from the 15th.
The 37-year-old then mixed four birdies with two bogeys coming home to move into a share of the early lead, and admitted his putting was the key to his low score in round one.
“I’m very pleased with the score, but believe it or not, I’m not actually that pleased with the way I played,” he said. “I battled with my swing all day, but with the putter it was just one of those days where I was rolling it really well.
“I missed birdie chances on the first three holes, and your mind starts thinking that it’s going to be one of those days. Then I holed a really nice one on the 13th which was my fourth hole, and that kind of opened the door really. I felt like I couldn’t miss.”
Skogen, who teed it up in the final group in last week’s SDC Open before finishing in a share of 16th, carried his good form into a new week by carding seven birdies without a blemish to add his name to the top of the leaderboard.
Nine players are one shot back in a share of eighth, including American duo Dan Erickson and Canon Claycomb, Spaniard Pablo Ereno, Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi and South Africa’s Lyle Rowe, Malcolm Mitchell, Trevor Fisher Jnr and Wilco Nienaber, who recorded an albatross en route to his six under par total.
The second round of the CIRCA Cape Town Open gets under way on Friday at 6:30am local time, with Lewis teeing off alongside Jaco Ahlers from South Africa and Finn Tapio Pulkkanen at 7:40am.
