Christiaan Bezuidenhout opened his campaign to win a PGA Tour card with a two-under-par 69 in Thursday in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Albertsons Boise Open at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Idaho.
The tournament is the first of a series of three which finish off the Korn Ferry Tour’s schedule, and the first event is followed by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship next week, and the Korn Ferry Tour Championship which tees off on September 2. The top 25 players after the series concludes will get their PGA Tour cards.
Bezuidenhout made five birdies and three bogeys on his way to a share of 45th after the first round, six shots off the lead which was held by Wes Roach of the United States after his opening eight-under 63. He had a one-stroke lead over countrymen Hayden Buckley and Ted Potter Jr.
Bezuidenhout is one of two South Africans trying to gain access to the PGA Tour: Dawie van der Walt finished the Korn Ferry Tour regular season in 38th place, and he opened his finals series campaign with a three-under-par 68 with seven birdies and four bogeys. That put him in a share of 31st, five off the pace.