South African Darren Fichardt used a driver, 3-iron, 7-iron and then holed a 12-foot putt to shorten the longest-ever hole in the history of the European Tour and Race to Dubai.
Fichardt birdied the monster par five, 685-yard (626 meter) fourth hole on route to a seven under par 65 on day one of the inaugural Tshwane Open in Centurion and just 10 minutes from where the Springbok golfer lives.
This week’s host Ernis Els designed Els Club course is laid out on land that used to own to the four-time Major winner’s grandfather. At 7,791 yards or 7,123 metres it is one of the longest on this year’s 2013 schedule while the fourtth hole is easily the longest in the 41-year history of the European Tour.
Darren Clarke on route to a 69 on day one of the inaugural Tshwane Open. (Photo – Catherine Kotze/SASPA).
Fichardt, 37 was just one of three players in the leading 23 to birdie the hole as he also quickly put himself in positiohn to capture a second straight Race to Dubai title.
“The swing is good and I’m putting well,” he said.
“This golf is awesome – it’s very fair. The greens are very soft, so you’re able to attack the flags. I’m happy with seven under to start off with.”
Two weeks ago Fichardt captured a fourth European Tour title in winning the Africa Open at East London.
Then last week the current World No. 93 ranked Fichardt was placed top-10 in the Dimension Data Pro-Am on the Sunshine Tour.
“Right now I’ve been playing for eight weeks in a row and I don’t even know what’s going on,” he added.
“I’m just going with the flow and hitting one shot at a time, so I’m looking forward to a break after this week.
“I’ll take it one day at a time and do my best this week.”
Swedish rookie, Bjorn Akesson joined Fichardt in the lead after birdie at 13 and 14 and then an eagle three at the 15th.
However the 24-year old Malmo golfer then bogeyed the 17th to be in second place with a six under par 66.
Six players – The England pair of David Howell and Gary Lockerbie, the South African duo of Charl Coetzee and Jean Hugo plus India’s Jeev Milka Singh and Chile’s Mark Tullo – are tied in third place with scores of five under par 67s.
And former Open Champion Darren Clarke was pleased after posting a three-under par 69.
Clarke, and one of three Major Champions competing in the inaugural South African event, picked up birdies at his first and sixth hole, and then after 10 straight pars the current World No. 164 ranked player birdied his last.
“The course is brutally long in places but then some of the short holes are typical Ernie Els designed,” said Clarke.
