Michael Kok picked up where he left off last week as he opened the Big Easy IGT Challenge Tour’s Chase to the Sunshine Tour #34 at ERPM Golf Club on Monday with a six-under-par 66 to open up a two-stroke lead in the first round.

Kok, who pulled off a play-off victory in the Chase to the Sunshine Tour #33 at Pecanwood last week, had a mixed start to his round with an eagle, a birdie and two bogeys to reach the turn in one-under 35. But he turned on some magic on the homeward nine after making bogey on 11, as he made an eagle and four birdies in seven holes on the way in, including three in a row from the 15^th to the 17^th.

His closing nine total of five-under took him clear of pursuers Kyle McClatchie and Leon Vorster, who each carded four-under-par 68. Jasion Froneman was on three-under 69, with Bryce Myburgh and Keelan van Wyk sharing fifth on two-under-par 70.

“I’m playing with a bit of freedom after last week,” said Kok. “This game’s amazing, and it’s incredible how much better things are when there feels like there’s less pressure.”

Kok’s first scoring came with an eagle on the par-five fourth, and he followed that with a bogey on the fifth. He made birdie on the par-three seventh and bogey on the eighth. A bogey on the 11^th was the last of his dropped shots for the day, and he followed that with a birdie on the par-three 12^th and his second eagle of the day on the par-five 13^th. Then came his three birdies in a row.

“That eagle on four, I had a five-iron in, and I hit it to about six feet,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy putt, but everything about my game feels good at the moment and it went in. On 13, I hit a big drive out there, and I only had a wedge in. I hit it to about five feet and made the putt.”

His early lead, is, of course, no guarantee of success, but he is currently top of the Chase to the Sunshine Tour rankings, and in prime position to win one of the three cards that are up for grabs for the top three players on that list after the final two regular season events and the three-tournament play-offs which start at State Mines on November 8.