PORT EDWARD (KwaZulu-Natal) – Defending champion Pieter Moolman continued his phenomenal hot streak at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club on Friday, shooting an excellent seven-under-par 63 to claim the lead after the first round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf Wild Coast event.
Moolman leads by one stroke over Ricky Hendler, with the Benoni golfer overcoming a slow start after beginning his round on the 10th, being one-over after six holes. But Moolman then birdied 16, 17 and 18, before a remarkable front nine in which he collected five birdies – at the second, third, fifth, seventh and eighth holes.
The 33-year-old Moolman shot a 62 in his last tournament at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club, his fantastic final-round effort lifting him to tied-fifth in the SunBet Challenge event here in July. And last year Moolman shot a 64 in the final round to win the Vodacom Origins of Golf event in a playoff, while he was also the runner-up in the 2022 SunBet Challenge tournament held here.
“I can’t exactly explain it, but I’m just happy here,” Moolman said. “It feels like home. I really enjoy the layout and I just seem to know what to hit on whatever hole and whatever the wind. I just think I’m comfortable here no matter which way the wind blows, and you always play a little better when you like being somewhere.
“I hit some good shots coming in on my front nine after I started a bit slow. Starting on the 10th was a bit tough because we were into the wind and it was blowing hard. I didn’t play badly, but I just missed a couple of up-and-downs on 11 [bogey 4] and 12 [par 5].
“I just tried to keep giving myself opportunities and this course is really about whoever makes the putts, and that was a bonus today. I was then really steady on my back nine, my tee-shots weren’t bad and I hit some good irons. It’s all about giving yourself the best chance when you are out of position, it’s more about where you miss than hitting perfect golf shots. On the weekend, I will just keep doing what I always do around here,” Moolman said.
A trio of golfers who also live far away from the coast also excelled on Friday, as did an overseas golfer.
Hendler, from Dainfern in Johannesburg, posted a 64, his lowest ever score on the Sunshine Tour. He also started on the 10th but was out of the blocks straight away with birdies on his first two holes. In a wonderful round of bogey-free golf, Hendler collected further birdies on the 16th, 18th, first and ninth holes.
Veteran Trevor Fisher Jnr from Modderfontein had bogeys on the par-four second and par-five 12th holes, but gathered five birdies and an eagle on the 492m par-five 16th, to post a 65 and finish in the tie for third.
Gerhard Pepler of Mogol Golf Club in Limpopo dropped just one shot, on the 168m par-three 13th, but also eagled 16 and made four other birdies to also shoot 65.
The other golfer to shoot 65 was Scotsman Craig Ross, who was also bogey-free.
Brittney-Fay Berger was the leading women’s golfer with a 71.
