Paraguay`s Fabrizio Zanotti leads European Tour Qualifying School winner Oskar Henningsson by a shot at the South African Open Championship after opening with an eight under par 64.
The 25 year old birdied the last to take the outright lead during the opening day at Pearl Valley Golf Estates to move ahead of Swede Henningsson, who made nine birdies and two bogeys in his round of 65.
No fewer than four players are hot on Henningsson`s heels at six under, with Keith Horne, Ross McGowan, Rory Sabbatini and Jaco Van Zyl all signing for rounds of 66.
Zanotti picked up four shots on the way out but dropped a stroke at the 386 yard tenth.
However, he picked up five shots on the way in to finish his first round a shot clear of the field.
He said: “That was pretty close to perfect. I played great - I have been playing great since Qualifying School and I am feeling good.
“I am very happy with my game at the moment - it was good today, the long game and the chipping and putting so I am very happy.
“This is a great tournament. The players are being so well looked after and there is a lot of history and tradition here. The golf course is great as well so I am very comfortable here.
“I am playing with a lot more confidence since the Qualifying School. I had a bad season on Tour before that but I managed to change a few things with my posture and it is working very well for me now.”
Henningsson started at the tenth and reached the turn in two under thanks to a birdie at the 18th, before he picked up six further shots on the way in.
South African Sabbatini - looking to continue the fine record home players have at the world's second oldest Open Championship - carded three birdies on the way out and another trio on the back nine without dropping a shot.
“The wind, it was out early and died off,” he said.
“All things considered, it's a great day out there. The course is in great condition and really prepared nicely and set up nicely. There are some low scores out there if you can control the golf ball.”
McGowan`s bogey free round contained four birdies and an eagle three at the par five fifth.
And the Englishman admitted he was delighted to be amongst the early pace setters after missing the cut at the same event last year.
“Last year I got caught up by the wind on the Thursday morning. I shot an 82 then and I guess this has evened it out nicely,” said McGowan, who played the back nine first on day one.
“I started off with seven pars but then picked up nicely. It (the eagle on the fifth) was a nice turning point that lifted me up the leaderboard quite quickly.”
Horne looked set to take a share of the lead when he completed the first 16 holes of his round in seven under par.
But a double bogey six at the penultimate hole saw him drop back, only for him to finish with a birdie at the par five last.
Another South African, Van Zyl, posted seven birdies and a bogey.
