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Erlandsson, one of the first-round's early starters, shot an eight-under-par 64 in a bogey-free round to set a scorching first-round pace.
It was a far better effort after his dismal performance last week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship where he failed to make the cut at the Leopard Creek Country Club.
The 35-year-old Swede started out on the back nine and worked his way over the nine holes with two birdies and seven pars on his card.
On his second nine the 272-world ranked Erlandsson really found conditions to his liking and he birdied three of the first four holes.
He went even better with an eagle on the par-five fifth and then another birdie in the final four holes to round off a brilliant 64. His eagle on the fifth was one of eight shot in early play on Thursday.
Erlandsson reached the green in two after his second shot stopped about a metre from the pin.
At this rate, Erlandsson is virtually assured of the first-round lead as almost all the early starters had the odd bogey or double-bogey scattered on their cards as they progressed through the round.
Erlandsson said his excellent start and the conditions had really fired him up.
"I was really happy the way I started the back nine," he said. "Because of the great start I was able to play freely, but I also played it safe and all the time it helped to make me feel confident."
Scoreboard:
64 - Martin Erlandsson (SWE)
68 - Richard Finch (ENG), Edoardo Molinari (ITA), Michael Jonzon (SWE)
69 - Ulrich van den Berg, Jacques Blaauw, Thomas Aiken, Damien McGrane (IRL)
70 - Carlos Rodiles (ESP), Louis Moolman, James Kamte, Soren Hansen (DEN), Michael Hoey (NIR), Peter Karmis, Jamie Elson (ENG)
71 - Fredrik Ohlsson (SWE), Sam Hutsby (ENG), Richard Sterne, Chris Williams, Shiv Kapur (IND), Robert Rock (ENG), Markus Brier (AUT), Keith Horne
Par - Oliver Bekker, Andre Cruse, Grant Muller, Gavan Levenson, Ariel Canete (ARG), James Kingston, Jbe' Kruger, Phillip Price (WAL), Chris Swanepoel
73 - Richard Bland (ENG), TC Charamba (ZIM), Ryan Dreyer, Rhys Davies (WAL), John Bickerton (ENG), Des Terblanche, Titch Moore, Paul Waring (ENG), Robert Coles (ENG)
74 - Mark Murless, Sam Little (ENG), Brandon Pieters, Mikael Lundberg (SWE), Marco Ruiz (PAR)
75 - Gary Murphy (IRL), Deane Pappas, Eirik Tage Johansen (NOR), Trevor Fisher Jnr, Oliver Fisher (ENG)
76 - Jaco Ahlers, Barry Lane (ENG), Jaco Van Zyl, John Parry (ENG), Albert Pistorius
77 - Peter Baker (ENG), Ross McGowan (ENG), Trevor Dodds (NAM), Reggie Adams, Clinton Whitelaw
78 - Shaun Norris
79 - Prinavin Nelson
80 - Warren Abery
82 - Merrick Bremner
84 - Omar Sandys
