Colin Anthony
9 January 2009
Johannesburg — THE foreign contingent dominated the first day of the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington yesterday, with only three South Africans among the top 14 players.
Modderfontein pro Trevor Fisher and Sweden's Steven Jeppesen share the lead after scintillating eight-under-par 63s on the West Course, but the more fancied South Africans stuttered.
Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey was alone in second place on seven under -- a particularly impressive round as it was on the more difficult East Course.
He was followed by a group of five players, including Andrew McClardy, a shot further back. The next-best South African was Martin Maritz, tied with four other players on five under.
Pre-tournament favourites Richard Sterne and Retief Goosen had frustrating rounds on the East Course, shooting 71 and 70 respectively.
Sterne, the defending champion, said that while eight under par was impressive on any course, he did not expect anyone to shoot that score on the East Course today. "Some will be at 12 or 13 under tomorrow and then come the weekend, that will be the time to do something."
Sterne, coming off back-to-back wins at the Dunhill Championship and the SA Open, said he started well but then felt tired, making "weak bogeys" on the back nine.
"I never really made any putts," he said, but he was driving well and "just a couple of silly mistakes" held him back.
While Fisher is by no means a household name, he enjoyed a strong season in SA last year with two victories, in the Seekers Travel Pro-Am and the Nashua Shootout, and seven other top 10 finishes.
He had a birdie-birdie start and shot four more on the outward nine to turn at six under, before suffering his only bogey on the 10th after pushing his tee shot into trouble on the right.
But he birdied the next hole as well as the 14th and 15th to set the clubhouse lead.
"I had a nice rhythm today and I putted well," he said.
"I gave myself nice opportunities. The wedge worked well for me and on the West Course, if your wedges are good, you can put it really close."
Shot of the day belonged to Jeppesen, who eagled the par-four seventh with a 178m six iron from the right rough.
"I hit straight at it and thought it was past the pin, but it landed in the hole so that was nice," he said.
That was his second eagle of the day -- he set the tone of his round with an eagle on the par-five second followed by birdies on the fifth and sixth.
A six on the par-five ninth marred Jeppesen's card, but he returned with three more birdies to match Fisher at the top of the leader board.
"Before I went out I saw there were a lot of guys shooting good scores on the West Course so it was definitely easier there today, " said Jeppesen, who has travelled to SA for European Tour co-sanctioned events for the past six years.
"I really love coming here," he said. "The courses are great, the people are friendly and the weather is good, normally."
Hoey nearly missed his 7am tee-time on the East Course after deciding to take a later shuttle from his hotel, "which left 10 minutes later than scheduled, but luckily there was a police escort and I got to the course on time".
Unfazed, he drove his first shot 336m down the middle and played a nine-iron in to birdie the hole. "I don't need too much time to warm up, so it was okay," he said. Seven more birdies and a bogey on 17 put him in second place.
"Maybe I should take a late bus more often," he quipped.
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