Home duo hold advantage

Rookie Tyrone Ferreira carded a six under-par round of 65 to share the lead with fellow South African Mark Murless after the first day of the Joburg Open.

The 20-year-old carded a bogey-free round that included six birdies on a wet day in Johannesburg, with Murless showing similar composure to fire seven birdies and a bogey for a share of top spot.

England’s Ross McGowan was a further shot back on five under, alongside Welshman Sion Bebb and Pablo Larrazabal from Spain.

Rain had made playing conditions difficult at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club as Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke found out in a disappointing day that saw him finish on two-over with a round of 73 that included five bogeys.

Home favourites Louis Oosthuizen and James Kingston – last month’s South African Airways Open champion – were among a group of more than 10 players on three-under, while Britons David Drysdale and Gary Lockerbie were two shots off the lead after rounds of 67.

But the day belonged to Ferreira and Murless, who rose above the rest with their impressive performances in the event co-sanctioned by the European and Sunshine Tours.

“I was very nervous but once I had hit my first tee shot I was okay,” said Ferreira, who made his European Tour debut in the SAA Open where he finished 138th.

“I hit the ball well today, I was getting it close to the flag and then the putts started dropping.”

Murless, who finished in a tie for fourth at the tournament last year, added: “I’m very happy with a 65 in these conditions. It was a really special one.

“I’ve always been an up and down player, but I’ve come to terms with that so if I do have a bad tournament, I don’t get too demotivated.

“I came fourth here last year, so there’s something about this place I enjoy.”

Despite his impressive showing at the event, 2007 Sunshine Tour Rookie of the Year McGowan admitted conditions were not easy.

“It’s very tough and it’s difficult to judge your shots, you’ve got to carry the ball a lot further,” he said.

“The fairways are very wet and there’s not much run out there, maybe five or six yards, so it’s really tough.”