Wiesberger grabs first round lead at Nedbank Golf Challenge

There is a sense of anticipation that somebody is going to go low at some point in this week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge‚ hosted by Gary Player.

But for now‚ the four under 68 that puts South Africa’s Branden Grace just one off the first-round lead is about as good as he feels the Gary Player Country Club course is yielding at the moment.

“It’s tough. It’s a brutal golf course‚” Grace said after a round that places him one behind leader Bernd Wiesberger of Austria.

Countryman Charl Schwartzel agreed after he bogeyed the 18th to finish on three under‚ which is where defending champion Alex Noren also finds himself.

“It’s about as solid as I’ve played this course. It’s very difficult. I think someone somewhere along the line will shoot a good score and that’s probably what’s going to separate them.

"But today‚ first day‚ everyone is probably just trying to get something done. That’s maybe why it’s so congested.”

Frenchman Victor Dubuisson set the early pace‚ but at one stage there was as many as seven players tied for the on-course lead with him on four under par.

Wiesberger was one of those through 17 holes‚ and then he birdied the 18th to edge ahead.

As the leader of the South African challenge and now the fan favourite to break the home golfers’ win drought in this event stretching back to 2007‚ Grace had to coax his putter into warming to the challenge after a shaky start.

He was two over par through the first four holes. And typical of this golf course‚ Grace felt he hadn’t really done anything to deserve that.

“I didn't do anything wrong. The putter was just cold. But I kept hitting the ball great and giving myself chances.”

Grace fought his way out of that slow start and made four birdies and an eagle thereafter‚ which is not surprising considering his love for grinding out a good score in tough circumstances and which is best reflected in his two top-five finishes in the 2015 and 2016 US Opens.

“This is a grinder’s golf course‚ and I think that’s why I do well here. It’s one of those where you have to be aggressive when you can‚ and when you don’t have to‚ you don’t have to.

“Also‚ this is the type of grass that I grew up playing on‚ kikuyu‚ and I just have fond memories of it. I’ve had a lot of wins on grass like this and courses like this. I’m looking forward to the next couple of days.”

Dubuisson‚ who shared third place with Grace here last year‚ also shares his love for this golf course.

“I really like this course. I think it suits my long game very well. I also feel very comfortable on the greens. You really have to keep the ball on the fairway here. If the driver starts to go wrong‚ you can make some really high scores.”

And even though Wiesberger managed to defy the convention of the day and shoot five under‚ he certainly felt how he had to work for every shot out there.

“It’s a golf course that challenges you from the first to the last‚ and you’ve got to be careful.”

“It’s one of those where nobody is really going to run away with it‚” said Grace.

And yet‚ there is still a sense amongst them that one of them will do something special over the next three days.

“Except for Alex Noren‚ like he did last year‚” Grace added.

Noren‚ though‚ is cautiously optimistic.

“Nobody’s kind of running away. It was tough. But you can make birdies out there.”

- TimesLIVE

Source: TMG Digital.