Leading the pack is Zimbabwean Matthew Bramford who shot a superb bogey-free 65 to take the lead. An eagle on the par-4 6^th was the highlight of the front nine for 19-year-old Bramford, who recently moved to South Africa to attend golf school at Bramble Hill and has committed to playing college golf with Friends University in Kansas.

A prolific back nine featured back-to-back birdies on the 10^th and 11^th and then three consecutive birdies through the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th holes rounded off a fantastic performance which clearly exceeded his expectations.

The Zimbabwean holds a one-shot advantage over South Africa’s Ivan Verster, who carded a 66 in glorious, but hot and demanding weather conditions, to finish the first round in second place on six-under-par. 

A South African quartet, including Simon du Plooy, Jordan Burnand, Daniel Bennett and Altin van der Merwe, sit three shots further back on three-under-par after posting 69s.

Du Plooy finished his round in style with three birdies in a row to put himself in the mix early in the Championship.

Meanwhile, in the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational, home favourite Kyra van Kan leads the way after the first round.

The South African shot an even-par 72 that included four birdies in a row from 13th, but suffered a double-bogey seven at the last after finding trouble in the water.

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