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Mostert leads Betway Champs

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Dylan Mostert
  • Post published:August 20, 2020

Dylan Mostert opened with a three-under-par 67 for a one-stroke lead in Wednesday’s first round of the Betway Championship at Killarney Country Club, in a generally cautious start by most of the field in the first Sunshine Tour tournament since February.

On a crispy and windy Johannesburg day, Mostert managed to finish one clear of Dylan Naidoo, Ruan Korb and Albert Venter, who all signed for rounds of 68.

Mostert was one of only eight players in the field who broke par on day one of this Rise-Up Series 54-hole tournament, thanks to the testing conditions and shaking off a bit of lockdown swing rust.

 

READ: Killarney set for Rise-Up Series

 

‘I think most of the players are just going out there and getting a feel for it again, and just trying to get back into tournament mode,’ he said after his round.

For Mostert, the work he did on his putting during lockdown made all the difference.

‘I put in a lot of work during lockdown and I’m glad to see it paying off. I worked a lot on my putting – on my set-up and pace. And it feels great to lead. I think this is the first time I’m leading a tournament on the Sunshine Tour. I had no expectations coming into this week and was so excited just to play.

‘But I stayed really patient out there, which was also key. I made back-to-back bogeys at holes seven and eight, and then I made a great par save at the 9th and a good par putt on the 10th to keep my round on track.’

That kind of patience will be important as Mostert faces an early tee-off in Thursday’s second round.

‘I’m expecting it to be tougher because I’m off early on day two. So, it’s going to be freezing and the greens will be rock hard. But it’s just about staying focused and grinding where I need to, while staying focused on every shot out there.’

The tournament signals the return of the Sunshine Tour for the first time since February and following the national lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And it was Benoni professional Pieter Moolman who had the honour of leading the field in its return as he teed off first just after 7am.

‘It felt great to feel that excitement for the new season and to actually be playing a tournament again. I think we’re all craving that adrenaline and excitement on the golf course, and making birdies,’ he added.

Source: compleatgolfer.com