Branden Grace achieved a career first of three eagles in one round as he opened with a 65 to share the lead on day one of the BMW South African Open, proudly hosted by the metro, at Glendower Golf Club, on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Grace\u2019s round of seven under par saw him join American Chase Koepka at the top of the leader board and one stroke clear of England\u2019s Chris Paisley.<\/p>
\u201cIt was good.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a little bit rusty with some of the wedge shots and things like that, but all in all I am very pleased with the outcome and I think I pretty much got the most out of that round.<\/p>
\u201cIt\u2019s a great start to 2018,\u201d said Grace.<\/p>\n
The South African is still revelling in his Nedbank Golf Challenge victory last November, and he displayed similar form when he eagled the par-five second, eighth and 15th holes at Glendower in a round that also included three birdies and two bogeys.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn all the par-five\u2019s I pretty much hit great tee shots and really gave myself some chances,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Stone upbeat ahead of BMW SA Open<\/a><\/p>\n Breakthrough win for Lange<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The eagle on the second saw Grace hole a 25-footer, which he said was crucial to his round.<\/p>\n \u201cI get on a streak like this where I make one of those longish putts in the first couple of holes, then I pretty much know I just have to get it there.<\/p>\n Koepka, the brother of PGA Tour campaigner and US Open champion Brooks Koepka, was delighted with his round after he opened with a bogey.<\/p>\n \u201cI made eagle on the second hole and kind of kept it going from there. \u201cI just stayed patient after that first hole,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Former SA Open champion Richard Sterne is well-placed at five under, while amateurs Garrick Higgo and Kyle McClatchie impressed with their opening rounds of four under.<\/p>\n And Jamie Donaldson recorded the first hole-in-one of this year\u2019s tournament when he aced the par-three 14th with a nine iron.<\/p>\n Retief Goosen and Charl Schwartzel head into the second round on three under, while Ernie Els is at one under.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n