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Langebaan - Andrew Georgiou was able to keep a cool head during a windy first round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf presented by Samsung at Langebaan Country Estate on Thursday and carded 69 to share the lead.
“I love it – when it’s breezy swing it easy. Today there was a three-club wind at times, so you keep your ball down on the ground. This is what I practice for,” he said.
The Western Cape local got it right in winds gusting up to 30 kilometres per hour and made six birdies and three drops to set the pace, along with early starter Le Roux Ferreira, at three-under-par.
“Start of the day I would have taken it,” said Georgiou. “In hindsight I should have been four or five, and I made a silly bogey on the last hole, but I’m happy.”
“Growing up in Somerset West, hitting it low is something that I do well. You turn into the wind and have just got to stick it out. When you turn downwind there are definitely some birdie opportunities, so it’s not always as bad as what people think,” he added.
It was a tough first day at the coast and Georgiou had to lean on his recent good form, which includes four consecutive cuts made, topped by a share of ninth at the Zambia Sugar Open in April.
“I’ve been playing well and Langebaan is a bit like a home course. It feels relaxed and good, so I’ll try to keep that going for the rest of the week,” he said.
For Ferreira, who shared the lead, it was also a week in home territory. His brother, Jandri, was on the bag and the Ferreira card included an eagle three at the fourth hole.
“I started off this morning with no expectations, but I grew up in the Cape, so I’m kind-of used to this wind. My brother is on the bag, my family is here and we are staying with good friends, so it’s all a lekker experience,” he said.
SCORES (RSA unless otherwise specified)
69 - Le Roux Ferreira, Andrew Georgiou
70 - Derik Ferreira, Tyrone Ryan, Madalitso Muthiya (ZAM)
71 - Lyle Rowe, Andrew McLardy, Roberto Lupini, Erik van Rooyen, Morne Buys
72 - Keenan Davidse, Chris Swanepoel, Ulrich van den Berg, Justin Harding, Callum Mowat, Johan du Buisson
73 - Henry Featherstone (ENG), Jacques Kruyswijk, Hennie du Plessis, Vaughn Groenewald, Mark Williams (ZIM), Desvonde Botes, Daniel Hammond, Lean Boezaart, Tyron Roelofsz, Louis Calitz, Jaco Prinsloo, Andrew Curlewis, Colin Nel, Rhys West, Ockie Strydom, Jeff Inglis (ENG), Grant Veenstra, Andrew Light
74 - Breyten Meyer, Peter Karmis, CJ du Plessis, JeanPaul Strydom, Adrian Ford, Gert Myburgh, Russel Franz, Titch Moore, Christiaan Basson, Drikus Bruyns
75 - Trevor Mahoney, Justin Turner, Theunis Spangenberg, Heinrich Bruiners, Doug McGuigan, Allan Versfeld, Calvin Caldeira, Allister de Kock, Pieter Moolman, Wallie Coetsee, Keith Horne, Jean Hugo, Grant Muller, Bryce Bibby, Gavin Vorster
76 - Matthew Carvell, Toto Thimba (Jnr), Neil Schietekat, Ruan de Smidt, Jake Redman, Otto van Greunen, Dwayne Basson, Maritz Wessels, Eddie Taylor, PH McIntyre, James Kamte, Steven Ferreira, Kevin Rundle, Rourke van der Spuy
77 - Coert Groenewald, Shaun Smith, Lindani Ndwandwe, Tyrone Ferreira, JJ Senekal, Drikus van der Walt, Bennie van der Merwe, Makhetha Mazibuko, Charl Coetzee
78 - Divan Gerber, Louis de Jager, JC Ritchie, Dayne Moore (ZAM), Dongkwan Kim (KOR)
79 - Bradford Vaughan, Ryan Cairns (ZIM), Nico Els, Mark Murless, Juan Langeveld
80 - Stuart Smith (BOT), Burger Heckroodt, Etienne Bond, Shaun Norris, Thanda Mavundla, Neil Cheetham (ENG), Alan Michell, Werner van Niekerk
81 - MJ Viljoen, Greg Bentley (ZIM), Jacquin Hess
82 - Ryan Tipping, Glen de Waal (NAM), Anthony Michael
83 - Francois Coetzee, Wynand Dingle, Teboho Sefatsa
85 - JP Laubscher
86 - Ben Fouchee
88 - Alex Gaugert (USA)
91 - Derick Petersen
