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FAMILY AFFAIR . . . Tongo Charamba gets a tip from his elder brother Tichaona, who is also his caddy, on the 18th hole on the first day of the Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open at Royal Harare yesterday

Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter
SOUTH African golfer Le Roux Ferreira praised Royal Harare as “an awesome course” after finishing as overnight leader having raced to a one-shot advantage on day one of the 2014 Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open yesterday.
On a day when The Masters teed off at Augusta National in Georgia, United States, drawing the best golfers in the world except the injured Tiger Woods, the Sunshine Tour rolled into Harare yesterday for the latest edition of the premier golf event in the country.

At the close of play Ferreira, from Deerwood Country Club, was on seven under-par 65 as the course recorded some embarrassingly low scores after light showers fell in the capital earlier in the day.

Ferreira’s fine 65 was laced by an eagle on the par-five hole three while he also kept his game going by sinking birdies on the fourth, sixth, eighth, 10th, 12th and 16th holes.

His only blemish was a bogey on the par four 17th.
“Since last week, I started to believe more in myself,” said Ferreira.

“I had a couple of good rounds in the Telkom Business PGA Championship, and I just felt that this week would be to be a good week.” Ferreira finished 44th at the Telkom Open and now feels he can win the Zim Open if he maintains the form as he gave his kudos to the Royal Harare greens.

“Good scores make you believe in yourself. I played here last year, but I didn’t play well. I like it a lot more now.
“It’s an awesome golf course. It’s one of the best we play all year.”

The leader will now be among the favourites to make the cut after he carded 31 on his first nine before sinking 34 on the home nine.
Ferreira played the same ball with CJ du Plessis, who ended on two under-par 70 and was bundled in 26th place and Mpho Mafishe, who finished at 10 over par 82. Mafishe’s score of 82 means he needs something close to a miracle to make the cut today.

He made double-bogeys twice while he also dropped shots on five holes.
Breathing heavily behind overnight leader Ferreira was 1999 Zimbabwe Open winner Jean Hugo, who fired early warning shots as he made his bid clear with a six under-par 66.

He is tied in second place with Jacques Blaaw. In his first round, Hugo fired eight birdies while he made a bogey on the par-four hole four.
But Hugo kept his nerve and sunk birdies in the next four holes. In his second nine, Hugo made three birdies and a bogey on the par-five 16th hole.

Hugo played in the same group with Vaughn Groenewald from Stellenbosch Golf Club and Danie van Tonder from King David Golf Club in South Africa.
Groenewald finished tied in 17th place on three under-par 69 after carding five birdies and two bogeys on the seventh and 17th holes.

Former winner Jbe Kruger, Daniel Greene and Warren Abbey  shared the fourth slot at five-under-par 67.
Zimbabwe’s Tongoona Charamba was the best performing local with his impressive 67 alongside Jack Harrison of England. Charamba’s blemish was dropping a short on the 13th hole while he carded six birdies.

Six players — Martin du Toit, Ulrich van den Berg, Roberto Lupini , Keith Horne and Alan Maclean — were one stroke behind on four under-par 68 to complete the top 10.

“I started off nicely with a couple of birdies during the first three holes.
“The course was easier and softer,” said Lupini. Pin placement was good as well. Tomorrow I will go out and do the same.” Lupini said the miserable cold weather conditions were favourable to his game. “If it had been sunny, then I would have played differently,” said Lupini of South Africa.

Defending champion Jake Roos finished on two under-par 70 and is still with a chance to reclaim the title.