South African Open 2020: Johannes Veerman impresses in opening round

European Tour rookie Johannes Veerman holds the lead of the South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg after a stunning opening round of 62.

Johannes Veerman, an American playing in just his fourth event on the European Tour, went out in two under par, but came flying home, recording seven birdies for a back nine of just 29. His bogey-free 62 sees him sit at -9, a shot clear of the South African Open field.

Veerman played his opening round of the week on the Firethorn Course at Randpark GC, with the majority of the top ten also featuring there.

JC Ritchie and Nino Bertasio also played the Firethorn, and they sit in joint second place, both carding rounds of 63 to sit a shot behind the American.

Home favourite Branden Grace is the only man inside the top nine to have played the Bushwillow Course on the opening day, and he sits at -7, two back from the lead, in a tie for fourth spot.

Grace is joined by five men, including two compatriots. Peter Karmis, Matias Calderon and Som Horsfield are also at -7, alongside fellow South Africans Toto Thimba Jr. and Rourke van der Spuy, with the latter finishing his opening round with three birdies and this hole-out eagle at the last.

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The likes of George Coetzee and reigning champion Louis Oosthuizen are among those in a tie for 10th at -6, alongside Rasmus Højgaard, the man who sits in second place on the early Race to Dubai list, and Marcus Armitage, one of many European Tour rookies in the 240-strong field this week.

Jayden Trey Schaper, the young South African amateur, showed his class at the Alfred Dunhill Championship last month, and he did the same on day one at Randpark, carding a 65 to join the group in T10.

2015 South African Open winner Andy Sullivan and Antoine Rozner, the man that lost out to Højgaard in the AFRASIA BANK Mauritius Open playoff in December, are both at -5, with Having Green and Thomas Detry a further shot back, alongside the second amateur, Casey Jarvis.

Rasmus’ twin brother Nicolai Højgaard sits in a tie for 68th at -2, alongside the South African duo of Justin Harding and Zander Lombard, while Erik van Rooyen and Brandon Stone are among those at -1, just inside the top 100.

137 players are under par after the opening round, with 240 players featuring in this event, one of the largest fields in professional golf, due to the two-course set-up over the first couple of days of the event.

Joel Sjöholm, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Jamie Donaldson are among those at level par after the first day’s play, with Wil Besseling, Charl Schwartzel and Eddie Pepperell all at +2, and needing a recovery round on the second day to keep themselves in this tournament.

Play starts at 06:30 local time (GMT+2), with the majority of the early starters looking to put themselves above the projected cut line.

Veerman will get his second round underway at 10:20 local, with the likes of JC Ritchie, Branden Grace, Peter Karmis and George Coetzee all going out ahead of him, with the idea of putting pressure on the young American.

South African Open Leaderboard:

1 (-9): Johannes Veerman (USA)

T2 (-8): JC Ritchie (RSA), Nino Bertasio (ITA)

T4 (-7): Branden Grace (RSA), Matias Calderon (CHL), Peter Karmis (GRE), Toto Thimba Jr. (RSA), Sam Horsfield (ENG), Rourke van der Spuy (RSA)

Selected Others:

T10 (-6): Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Jayden Trey Schaper (A, RSA), Rasmus Højgaard (DEN)

T21 (-5): Andy Sullivan (ENG), Antoine Rozner (FRA), Min Woo Lee (AUS)

T47 (-3): Gavin Green (MAS), Thomas Detry (BEL), Casey Jarvis (A, RSA)

T68 (-2): Justin Harding (RSA), Nicolai Højgaard (DEN), Zander Lombard (RSA)

T96 (-1): Erik van Rooyen (RSA), Brandon Stone (RSA), Bernd Ritthammer (GER)

T138 (E): Joel Sjöholm (SWE), Jamie Donaldson (WAL), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA)

T187 (+2): Wil Besseling (NED), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Eddie Pepperell (ENG)