After an awkward start to his round, Dubliner Padraig Harrington found his form to move within three shots of the lead after the first day’s play at the Sun City challenge in South Africa today.
Harrington, who hit a 10 under par 62 in yesterday’s pro-am at the Gary Player Country Club, parred the opening seven holes before a disastrous triple bogey seven at the eighth left him struggling on three over par.
However, birdies at the ninth, 10th, 11th, 13th and 14th turned his afternoon full circle, propelling the World Number 10 into the fray.
Darren Clarke was not so fortunate. He failed to find his rhythm early on and struggled to a bogey five at the first as well as bogey on the par four third. Clarke, like his countryman, also found trouble at the eighth, shooting a double bogey six.
Clarke, who finished third in the European Order of Merit behind Harrington and Retief Goosen, quickly made amends by birdieing the ninth and 14th. But a bogey five at the last has left the Tyroneman with plenty to do if he is to climb off the bottom of the 12-strong leaderboard.
At the other end of the leaderboard, defending champion and home favourite Ernie Els sets the pace on five under. He was smoothly into his stride, birdieing the first, second, fifth and sixth. A bogey at nine was soon wiped out with further birdies at 10 and 14 to complete a tidy round of 67.
Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa
(Irish in
bold)
5 under
Ernie Els (18)
4 under
Mike Weir (18)
Retief Goosen (18)
Colin Montgomerie (18)
Bernhard Langer (18)
Nick Price (18)
Sergio Garcia (18)
3 under
Lee Westwood (18)
2 under
Padraig Harrington (18)
1 under
Thomas Bjorn (18)
Jim Furyk (18)
3 over
Darren Clarke (18)