Holywood’s Tom McKibbin continued his fine form when he opened with a five-under 65 at Mount Edgecombe Country Club in the Challenge Tour’s Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa.
he Newtownabbey starlet (19), who led through 54 holes before finishing third in last week’s Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open, ended the day tied for eighth, four shots behind Sunday’s Cape Town winner, JC Ritchie.
“It was a good day – just a solid score again,” said McKibbin, who made six birdies and a bogey on the Woods Course. “Just continued some good golf from last week.
“It was just a solid day around the course. It wasn’t playing that difficult and there wasn’t that much wind, so I just took advantage of the conditions really.
“I drove the ball well, hit some good iron shots and holed some good putts. As always when you shoot those sort of rounds, you have a little bit of luck here and there, but everything was just solid and as I said, I took advantage of the good conditions.”
McKibbin is looking forward to continuing his excellent form in southern Africa, where the Challenge Tour will play another four events before heading to Spain in May.
“It’s been really enjoyable so far,” he said. “The courses suit me quite well. They are quite American-y with a little bit of wind as well, so I’m really enjoying it. It is a really good place and I’m looking forward to playing a bit more.”
Ritchie aced the 213-yard second with a five iron en route to a nine-under 61 at Mount Edgecombe, just four days after successfully defending his title at Royal Cape on Sunday.
He leads by two strokes from fellow South African Rupert Kaminski, whose 63 was also at the Woods course at Mount Edgecombe.
MJ Viljoen and Christopher Mivis led the scoring at Durban Country Club with their rounds of 66 to place them in a group on six under.
McKibbin knows scoring will be tougher at Durban Country Club, but he’s ready to adapt.
“You definitely have to control the flight of the ball a lot better,” he said. “There are five or six holes that are really tough and then coming in is pretty hard as well.
“So again, it is about picking good targets with the wind. And with all the bushes around you were just trying to commit to good shots and seeing where they end up and that’s all you can do really.”
There are eight Irishmen in action this week, but all will have to play well in round two to make the cut.
Tramore’s Robin Dawson turned in four-under, but he came home in 39 for a one-under 71 at Durban Country Club to share 69th with Kinsale’s John Murphy, who had three birdies and a double-bogey at the 11th in his 71.
Gavin Moynihan shot a level par 70 at Mount Edgecombe as Niall Kearney posted a level par 72 at Royal Durban to leave them tied 111th.
Paul Dunne eagled the par-four 18th to go out in four-under at Durban Country Club but followed four bogeys with a double-bogey seven at the eighth to shoot a one-over 73 for a share of 136th.
Lucan’s Richard O’Donovan is 213th after a nine-over 79 at Mount Edgecombe, while Ardglass’ Cormac Sharvin retired with a suspected stomach bug after 12 holes at the same venue.
On the Alps Tour, Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell took advantage of a sponsor’s invitation and closed with a bogey-free, four-under 68 (€3,940) to claim second place on 12-under par, two strokes behind Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli, in the Ein Bay Open at Sokhna Golf Club in Egypt.
West Waterford’s Gary Hurley turned in one-over before picking up four birdies on the back nine to card a three-under 69 and tie for seventh on eight-under.
Mallow’s James Sugrue made five birdies in a one-under 71 and Naas Jonathan Yates carded a 72 to leave them tied 25th on four-under.
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