Schietekat claws back

Europeans colonised the top of the leaderboard in the Africa Open for most of the first round yesterday until Modderfontein's Neil Schietekat caused a late flutter.

He birdied his third-last hole to go to four-under, but failed to climb to the top, where Irishman Kevin Phelan and England's Matt Ford share the lead after five-under 67s.

A southwesterly, which gusted between 20 and 24 knots, demanded calculated, precision play but having spent his formative years in Durban, Schietekat was among a select group to negotiate the peril.

Thanks in part to an early tee-off when the ball was less prone to getting carried away, Phelan held the clubhouse advantage for much of the day. "It's narrow in places out here, so you have to keep it in front of you and know where you are going," advised Phelan.

For the most part he stayed on the straight and narrow. Emboldened by what he learned here last year, the man from Waterford didn't just get the rub of the green, but all too often he found the middle of it.

"Last year I played them quite conservatively and it didn't work out very well so I played them more aggressively this time. I just went for it and hit some good shots so they ended up being easy birdies.

"I just held out nicely from six feet and in. One of my birdies was 10 feet and that was probably the longest putt I held."

Another Englishman in Richard Bland shot a four-under 68. He thrived despite encountering conditions different to what he became accustomed in his practice rounds.

"The wind has done a complete 180 on us. The par fours and fives were quite reachable but it was a struggle today [yesterday]."

The stiff breeze may have aided Englishman David Howell, who also finished on four-under, on some holes but the real wind beneath his wings was the drive to atone for last year's near-miss here.

"I left here feeling this one got away. I was playing with Thomas [Aiken]. I don't want to take anything away from him but I felt the tournament was there for me to win. I was kicking myself," he said.

Englishman John Parry and Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva also shot opening round 68s.