Erlandsson on top as McGrane slips in South Africa

Swedish golfer Martin Erlandsson went from the ridiculous to the sublime when the South African Open began at Pearl Valley today.

The 35-year-old from Malmo started the new European Tour season last week by playing his first nine holes of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in an embarrassing 46 shots.

But seven days on Erlandsson produced a blistering eight under par 64 that gave him an early four-stroke lead in the final event of 2009.

Only two under with eight to play, the man who came second in the Johnnie Walker Championship after a closing 62 in August birdied the next three holes and then eagled the 530-yard fifth.

Another birdie came two holes later and by finishing with two pars Erlandsson came home in a six under 30.

Playing partner Richard Finch, the former Irish Open champion from Hull, was himself round in 68 and shared second place with South Africans Jacques Blaauw and Thomas Aiken, and Erlandsson’s countryman Michael Jonzon, who saved his Tour career in spectacular fashion in October by winning the Castellon Masters.

They were then joined by Italian World Cup winner Edoardo Molinari, who needs a top eight finish to move into the world’s top 50 just in time to qualify for April’s Masters along with his brother Francesco.

Ireland's Damien McGrane, who had topped the leaderboard earlier in the morning, slipped to share fifth on three under.