JOHANNESBURG - Shaun Norris led the South African charge with an opening one-under 69 at the PGA Championship at the TPC at Harding Park on Thursday.
The 38-year-old, playing in his fifth major, ended in a tie for 33rd four behind Australian Jason Day and American Brendon Todd leading the way on five-under.
Norris was off to the perfect start, with three birdies and no bogeys on his first eight holes to rise to three-under, but a dropped shot at the par four ninth slowed his momentum.
Another gain followed at the par five 10th, as Norris returned to three-under for the day. Costly bogey fives and the 12th and 14th holes, however, dropped Norris back to one-under.
Dylan Frittelli and Louis Oosthuizen were one shot further back on solid opening level par 70s on day one, in a tie for 48th. Teeing off on the 10th, the 2010 Open Champion Oosthuizen turned in two-under with three birdies and a bogey on his card. Seven pars and two bogeys would follow for Oosthuizen as he settled on even for the day.
Frittelli, in contrast, had an eventful back nine with just three pars, three birdies and three bogeys to end on the same score as his compatriot. Going out, Frittelli was a measure of consistency with one birdie and one bogey and the rest pars.
Erik van Rooyen carded an opening round of one-over 71 for a share of 68th, with Christiaan Bezuidenhout one behind on two-over with his 72. Charl Schwartzel was at the bottom of the leaderboard of South Africans with a three-over 73 in a tie for 109th.
African News Agency (ANA)