Blaauw, Ferreria share Zambia lead

Cape Town - Jacques Blaauw and Tyrone Ferreira both carded seven-under-par 65’s to lead after round one of the Zambia Open being played at Nchanga Golf Club.

 The swirling winds tested the players in the morning, however the afternoon conditions were still challenging.

“I didn’t really expect it to be honest. Obviously with the course tough and it being windy on the front-nine – I played nicely on the front nine – I didn’t expect it at all. It was lots of fun. It was fun to play golf again,” said Blaauw.

Speaking about the gusty conditions at Nchanga Golf Club in Chingola, Blaauw highlighted the difficulty in judging the wind.

“It was a one-and-half to two club wind on some holes but it swirls quite a bit. On the par-three’s you feel the wind into you and then all of a sudden on your next shot it’s down wind. So it was really tricky,” explained Blaauw.

Ferreira, who gave Blaauw a putter to test out for the week, found it amusing when he and Blaauw had topped the leaderboard.

“I brought four putters down here. I brought two for Mark Williams and Jacques took my other one. We’re all doing quite well. I just brought them down for them and wasn’t planning on using them,” said Ferreira, jokingly.

“I’m obviously quite happy that he gave me the putter to use so I’m really chuffed,” said Blaauw.

Ferreira, who carded the only bogey-free round of the day, has adopted a new game plan heading into the week.

“I’m not even worrying about what I’m shooting. I’m just going to play my game and carry on. The more you worry the worse you play. If you’re stressing over a shot you’re not going to play well,” he explained.

“Yeah it was nice. I like the course because you’ve got to shape it a lot and I hit the ball really well today and also putted well. Everything really came together.,” said Ferreira.

Thanda Mavundla occupies third place on his own on six-under-par, while Mark Williams and Makhetha Mazibuko lurk two shots back of the lead on five-under-par.

Scores:

65 - Jacques Blaauw (RSA), Tyrone Ferreira (RSA)

66 - Thanda Mavundla (RSA)

67 - Makhetha Mazibuko (RSA), Mark Williams (ZIM)

68 - Jaco Ahlers (RSA), Breyten Meyer (RSA), Louis de Jager (RSA)

69 - Michael Hollick (RSA), Rhys West (RSA), Jaco Prinsloo (RSA), Danie van Tonder (RSA), Ruan de Smidt (RSA)

70 - Patrick Mwendapole (ZAM), Teaghan Gauche (RSA), Jean-Paul Strydom (RSA), Christiaan Basson (RSA)

71 - Robson Saurombe (ZIM), Matengele Kaira (ZAM) (AMA), Vaughn Groenewald (RSA), Titch Moore (RSA), Justin Harding (RSA), Neil Schietekat (RSA),Aaron Simfukwe Jnr (ZAM) (AMA), Adilson Da Silva (BRA), Andrew Georgiou (CYP), Steven Ferreira (RSA)

72 - Bryce Easton (RSA), Jason Froneman (RSA), Oliver Bekker (RSA), PH McIntyre (RSA), Andrew Curlewis (RSA), Werner van Niekerk (RSA),Heinrich Bruiners (RSA), Ryan Tipping (RSA), Divan van den Heever (RSA), Dwayne Basson (RSA), Hennie du Plessis (RSA), Irvin Mazibuko (RSA)

73 - Drikus Bruyns (RSA), Tyrone Mordt (RSA), Chris Swanepoel (RSA), Stefan Engell Andersen (KEN), Dayne Moore (ZAM)

74 - Arthur Horne (SWZ), Jason Viljoen (RSA), Teboho Sefatsa (RSA), JC Ritchie (RSA), Lindani Ndwandwe (RSA)

75 - Peter Munyinya (ZAM) (AMA), Neal Herman (RSA), Andre de Decker (RSA), Anthony Michael (RSA), Derick Petersen (RSA), Stuart Smith (BOT),Ruan Huysamen (NAM), Cosmas Mufaya (ZAM)

76 - Kayyam Rauf Mandhu (ZIM), Roy Da Costa (POR), CJ du Plessis (RSA), Theunis Spangenberg (RSA), Jason Diab (RSA), Jake Redman (RSA),Kelly Tembo (ZAM) (AMA), Ruan Pretorius (RSA), Alex Haindl (RSA), Brian Gondo (ZIM)

77 - Geoffrey Banda (ZAM), Colin Nel (RSA), Stephen Ferreira (POR), Ryan Cairns (ZIM), Ooko Erick Obura (KEN), Matthew Carvell (RSA), Etienne Bond (RSA)

78 - James Kamte (RSA), Greg Bentley (ZIM), Doug McGuigan (SCO), Le Roux Ferreira (RSA), Madalitso Muthiya (ZAM), Bruce Chanda (ZAM), Roux Jeffery (NAM),Kangwine Chiluba (ZAM)

79 - Akil Yousuf (ENG), Charles Chibale (ZAM) (AMA), Bryn Flanagan (RSA), Rourke van der Spuy (RSA), Jeff Hopkins (IRL), Sydney Wemba (ZAM) (AMA)

80 - Shane Granger (BOT), Graeme Fransman (NAM), Armandt Scholtz (RSA)

81 - Adam Payne (ZIM), Beza Daka (ZAM)

82 - Shingi Shumba (ZIM)

84 - TC Charamba (ZIM), Mohammad Rauf Mandhu (ZIM)

85 - Kelvin Chibuye (ZAM) (AMA)

86 - Gabriel Chibale (ZAM) (AMA)

87 - Patrick MwendapoleJn (ZAM)(AM)

88 - Ebenezeer Funga (ZAM) (AMA)

89 - Moses Chewe (ZAM) (AMA)