Johannesburg – France’s Frederic Lacroix shot a four-under 67 to share the lead in the early stages of round one of the Joburg Open, at Randpark Golf Club, on Thursday.
Lacroix shares top spot with Spain’s Pep Angles, with a number of players a further shot behind on three-under including SA’s Shaun Norris.
It is tight at the top of the leaderboard on round 1 of the 2021 #JoburgOpen at #RandparkGolfClub⛳️🏆🏆🇿🇦
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) November 25, 2021
T1 Pep Angles -4 🇪🇸
T1 Frederic Lacroix -4🇫🇷
T1 Angel Hidalgo -4🇪🇸
T4 Yannik Paul -3🇩🇪
T4 Masahiro Kawamura -3🇯🇵 #GreatnessBeginsHere #JoburgOpen #RandparkGolfClub pic.twitter.com/YnW8mNt7Ij
Beginning his round on the 10th, the 26-year-old Lacroix was slow out of the blocks with bogey. A birdie on 14 moved him back to level as he made the turn. Three birdies in four holes on the front nine vaulted his name up the leaderboard, before the highlight of his round - an eagle at the par four sixth hole.
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However, Lacroix negated that eagle with a double bogey at the par four seventh, before a final birdie at the short par four ninth saw him rejoin the lead.
🇫🇷 Frederic Lacroix shares the clubhouse lead on -4 (67) in the early stages of round one of the @DPWorldTour & @Sunshine_Tour #JoburgOpen at @RandparkGolf @AfriNewsAgency @IOLsport
— Michael Sherman (@Golfhackno1) November 25, 2021
Here's what he said about his eagle/double/par/birdie finish: pic.twitter.com/U8J55A9Cye
“It was just a solid round, I took a while to get going with some birdies on the back nine," said Lacroix.
On the eagle at six, he said: “I hit a pure drive to the front edge of the green and had about 30m to the pin. I just hit a good pitch shot that rolled in.”
An important par save followed on the par three eight, Lacroix explained.
“That putt I made for par on eight, was a sliding one down the hill. It’s always good to make those kinds of putts for the confidence.”
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While a number of players hit driver off nine at the drivable par four, Lacroix opted for a conservative approach which paid off.
“I hit a three-iron to the right on 18, but I had a good lie in the rough. I had a good number with the lob wedge and I hit it to three or four metres and made a good stroke on the putt.”
African News Agency (ANA)