Strydom returns to Sishen and takes 1st round lead

Aug 26, 2021 | Featured, Sunshine Tour

Ockie Strydom returned to his happy place on Thursday as he carded a two-under-par 70 to take a share of the first-round lead of the Sunshine Tour’s Vodacom Origins of Golf event at Sishen Golf Club.

Strydom was the last Sunshine Tour player to win at Sishen, two years ago in 2019, when he took his maiden Sunshine Tour title, and, on a day when low scores were hard to come by, he made five birdies, a bogey and a double bogey as he shared the top of the leaderboard with Rourke van der Spuy.

“It all feels pretty good right at the moment,” said Strydom, who took the 2019 title at the course by a commanding six strokes over Thristen Lawrence to break a string of over a dozen runner-up finishes which seemed destined to define his career.

It was a difficult start for Strydom from the 10th tee, as, although he made an early birdie on the 11th, he made a double bogey on the 13th. He picked up those lost shots with consecutive birdies on 14 and 15, but he went back to level-par for his round with a bogey on 16.

“That double bogey was just a silly three-putt from six feet,” he said. “My caddie told me to just keep calm, keep hitting fairways and greens, and, if I did that, then the birdie opportunities would come.”

He reached the turn still at level-par, and then kept things on an even keel all the way home, picking up birdies on one and nine to top and tail his inward half neatly, with pars in between.

Van der Spuy had three birdies and a single bogey in his round, and he and Strydom led by one from Luke Brown, Deon Germishuys, Rupert Kaminski, Jayden Schaper and Stefan Wears-Taylor. There was a big group of 10 players all on level-par in a share of eighth place.

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