Cracking start hands Ferreira a 5-shot lead at Karen Masters

Cape Town - Zimbabwe’s Stephen Ferreira made a staggering nine birdies and an eagle en route to a 10-under-par 62 Round 1 score to take a five-shot lead of the second edition of the Karen Masters in Nairobi.

Back-to-back birdies from the first through to the fourth hole set the tone for Ferreira, who plays under the Portuguese flag, before he made a bogey on the fifth. Another birdie on the eight, and he turned in 32 before making three consecutive pars.

“I’m very happy and I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” he said after his impressive round.

“I’ve been going through a bit of a rough patch; I would have a good week and then a bad week. But, after Sun City, I just went and pretty much played every single day. Hardly spent any time on the range and did a lot of putting, mainly, and it seems to be paying off so far.”

As impressive as that front nine was, Ferreira’s homeward stretch was also something to marvel at. Birdies on the par-five 12th and the 13th holes soon made their way into his card and after making par on the 14th, he made eagle on the par-five 15th, birdies on the 16 and 17th holes before closing off with a par.

He credited his driver for the brilliant round around the Karen Country Club.

“I hit my driver very well,” he said.

"I normally do. If it lets me down, my game kind of goes off a bit but today, I picked shots and hit them.”

Ferreira, having teed off in the afternoon, had what seemed to be the best score of the day to deal with, a five-under-par 67 set by the young Garrick Higgo, Neil Schietekat, Thabiso Ngcobo and Kenya’s own Greg Snow.

While Schietekat’s round was blemish-free, it was Ngcobo’s which was a little more eventful. The Gary Player Class member made seven birdies on the day but was let down by the bogeys he made on the fourth and 10^th holes.

“I had a few lucky breaks today,” he said, “but that’s how it goes in golf. I was fortunate that the round went well. I just stayed patient the whole day; telling myself ‘next hole, next hole’ and that worked for me. I hit a few wild ones but luckily, I was just staying in play and that’s what you have to do on this course.”

Scores:

62 - Stephen Ferreira

67 - Garrick Higgo, Neil Schietekat, Thabiso Ngcobo, Greg Snow

68 - Herman Loubser, Jaco Ahlers, Martin Rohwer, Jacques P de Villiers, Toto Thimba, Heinrich Bruiners

69 - Peetie van der Merwe, Chris Cannon, Michael Palmer, JC Ritchie, Makhetha Mazibuko, Andrew Odoh, David Wakhu, CJ du Plessis, MJ Viljoen, Estiaan Conradie, Tyrone Ryan, Trevor Fisher Jnr

70 - Keelan van Wyk, Jaco Prinsloo, Keith Horne, Dismas Indiza, Jastas Madoya, Daniel Nduva, Callum Mowat, Merrick Bremner, JJ Senekal, Chris Swanepoel, Jeff Kubwa, CJ Wangai

71 - Jade Buitendag, Jake Redman, James Allan, Tristen Strydom, Steve Surry, Ockie Strydom, Kyle Barker, Teboho Sefatsa, Sujan Shah, Keenan Davidse, Wallie Coetsee, Ruan de Smidt, Rhys West, Deon Germishuys, Clinton Grobler, Ryan Tipping, Aubrey Beckley

72 - Jason Diab, DK Kim, Lyle Rowe, Luke Mayo, Paul Boshoff, Anton Haig, Roberto Lupini, Philip Eriksson, Madalitso Muthiya, Simon Ngige, Jean Hugo, Richard Ainley, Bennie van der Merwe

73 - Dayne Moore, Joe Nawanga, Pieter Moolman, Fredrik From, Rizwan Charania, Thriston Lawrence, Jack Harrison, Daniel van Tonder, Ryan Cairns, Darin de Smidt

74 - Mohammad Rauf Mandhu, Ruan Huysamen, Jacob Okello, Luke Jerling, Kyle McClatchie, Simon Njogu, Philip Geerts, Wynand Dingle, Scott Campbell, Kenneth Bollo, Boniface Simwa, Ruan Korb, Lwazi Gqira, Victor Kachepatsonga

75 - Yubin Jung, David Odhiambo, Stefan Wears-Taylor, Teaghan Gauche, Brian Toolit, Juran Dreyer, Dennis Saikwa, Ronald Rugumayo, David McIntyre, Ainamana Abraham, Benjamin Follett-Smith, Jared Harvey, Titch Moore, Combrinck Smit, Kyle Pilgrim

76 - William Weidner, Samuel Njoroge, Paul Chidale, Trainos Muradzikwa, Alpheus Kelapile, James Pennington, Dylan Naidoo, Erick Ooko Obura, David Opati, Jacques Blaauw

77 - Mohit Mediratta, Sean Bradley, Luke Joy, Michael Hollick, Ken Abuto, Matthew Wahome, Hayden Griffiths, Kopan Timbe, Joseph W Karanja, Luke Brown, Rourke van der Spuy, Phillip Kasozi, Duane Keun, Fritz Orren, Bradley Diggeden

78 - Hesbon Kutwa, Ganeev Giddie, Edwin Mudanyi, Ruan Conradie, Louis Albertse, Abdallah Yusuf Sanzagala, Njuguna Ngugi, Tony Omuli

79 - Frank Matilo, Nelson Mudanyi, Jason Froneman

80 - Deo Akope, Mark Williams, Sunday Olapade, Christiaan Basson, Alfred Nandwa, Gerrit Foster

81 - Hendrikus Stoop

82 - Matt Bright, Dylan Mostert, Fadhil Said Nkya, Caylum Boon, Wayne Stroebel

84 - Vincent Ikemefume, Sullivan Muthugia, Herman Mutawe

94 - Anthony Gacheru