Dec 06,2024
Max Homa made a strong start to his Nedbank Golf Challenge title defence as a big finish saw him lead by a single shot after the first round, while Tom McKibbin had a day to forget at Gary Player Country Club.
Homa flew out of the blocks with a hat-trick of birdies at the first, second and third before making three more gains across the next eight holes to take over at the top of the leaderboard.
A sticky patch on the back nine saw the American Ryder Cup star surrender two bogeys and slip from the summit but he bounced back with successive birdies on the 17th and 18th to sign for a 66 and reach six under par.
That left him one shot ahead of early clubhouse leader and home favourite Ockie Strydom, who carded an eagle, four birdies and a single bogey in his five-under 67.
Englishmen Andy Sullivan and Matthew Jordan were among those in a tie for third two shots further back.
McKibbin's round featured three birdies, a bogey and three double bogeys, leaving the 21-year-old from Holywood languishing in a share of 58th place on five over, with just six players recording worse efforts on day one.
Overall leader Homa said of his round: "I thought I played really well. It was really tricky with the wind, it did a complete flip on seven, so it threw us through a bit of a loop but I thought I did a really good job of adjusting to it.
"Made one mistake on the 15th, leaving it long of that pin, but otherwise I did a pretty good job of playing within myself and not hitting shots I don't love to hit, so yeah, it was good."
