Grace Red-Hot at Alfred Dunhill Championship


Branden Grace fired a brilliant 10-under 62 to take the 18-hole lead in the Alfred Dunhill Championship. The full-field event got underway Thursday at Leopard Creek Country in Malelane, South Africa.

Grace, a 26-year-old from Pretoria, carded four birdies on the front nine before tacking on six more on the back for a three-stroke lead over fellow South African Jake Roos.

Danny Willett, who won last week's limited-field Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, had a 66 and is tied for third with fellow Brit Matt Ford.

After a winless 2013 following an outstanding four-win campaign in 2012, Grace felt his game and accuracy were spot-on at Leopard Creek. "I hit the ball superbly from the start to the finish," he told the European Tour's website.

"I can't remember the last time I hit 18 greens in a row, which is pretty nice, especially around this place where there are some daunting approaches. It's a good feeling going into the rest of the tournament."

Roos, a 34-year-old, who advanced to the European Tour following two victories on the 2013 Challenge Tour, began his day on the 10th tee and got started with a bang, holing out for an eagle two on the par-4.

"I felt comfortable and swung quite nicely," said Roos, who added six birdies and a bogey for his 65.

"I hit a lot of good shots and had a lot of short birdie putts on my front nine, and I was able to take advantage of a couple. When I holed that shot on my first hole it was an ice-breaker for me. It got me laughing and relaxed me, so it was a perfect start. It came out right on target and pitched a little short and went in."

Sharing fifth following 67s are Spain's Nacho Elvira and South Africans Michael Hollick and Tjaart van der Walt.

Charl Schwartzel, a three-time winner of the tournament, including the last two, posted a 3-under 69 to join a host of others in a tie for 21st after Round 1. Also recording that score was fellow major champion Louis Oosthuizen.

John Hahn, who shot a 58 under preferred-lies conditions in European Tour Qualifying last month in Spain, had a 70 for the low mark by an American, while Peter Uihlein posted a 72.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2014096/leaderboard/index.html.