Oliver Bekker had a bogey-free start on Thursday in the opening round of the Challenge Tour’s British Challenge Presented by Modest! Golf Management at the Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England, when he carded a four-under-par 68.
With the first round suspended because of darkness, that gave him a share of ninth with just three players in the 144-man field unable to complete their rounds. The lead was held by England’s Todd Clements, who carded a nine-under-par 63 for a two-stroke lead over Hugo Leon of Chile and Englishman Ben Hutchinson on seven-under.
Bekker started his round on the first, and had a good outward nine with birdies on two, four and six as he turned in three-under 33. He made another birdie immediately after the turn on the 10th, and then came home in level-par.
Hennie du Plessis was the next best of the South Africans with a three-under-par 69 and a share of 24th. He got it to five-under through 12, but bogeys on 14 and 16 saw him slip back. JC Ritche carded a level-par 72, and Jacques Blaauw was on two-over 74
