There might have been a stroke of luck about his eagle on Thursday, but Oliver Bekker continued his good form in the first round of the DP World Tour’s Soudal Open in Antwerp, Belgium, as his opening four-under-par 67 out him inside the top 10.
Bekker’s approach to the par-five fifth was looking like bouncing well over the green, but it hit the flagstick and dropped inside three feet for an easy eagle putt which took him to four-under early in his round. In the end, he made that eagle, three birdies and a bogey to be two shots off the lead. The English trio of Dale Whitnell, Sam Horsfield and Callum Shinkwin led on six-under, one shot clear of six players on five-under.
Bekker’s round was one of two distinct halves, as he made birdies on two, three and eight in addition to the eagle. But he was unable to pick up any more shots on the homeward nine, and he made his bogey on the par-three 15th.
Behind him, Hennie du Plessis also had a good start to the tournament, with his three-under-par giving him a share of 14th after the first round. Brandon Stone carded a two-under 69 for a share of 26th, Thriston Lawrence was on level-par in a share of 67th together with George Coetzee, and JC Ritchie opened with a one-over 72 for a share of 87th. Louis de Jager was on three-over, Zander Lomboard on four-over, Bryce Easton and Wilco Nienaber on six-over and Haydn Porteous on eight-over.
