South African Justin Walters said he felt the ‘presence’ of his late father in producing the lowest round of the opening day in signing for a sizzling nine-under par 63 at the Old Course in St. Andrews on the opening day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Walters did not drop a shot in a round capped in commencing his round from the 10th hole with three birdies in succession.

Walters, 38 has faced plenty of adversity on the golf course during the 2019 Race to Dubai, battling a calf injury over the summer and failing to register a top 20 in 23 starts on the European Tour.

Justin Walters said he felt the presence of his late father on route to a nine-under par 63 and a one shot lead on day one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. (Photo – European Tour/Getty)

The South African also sadly lost his father this year and revealed he felt his presence as he fired his lowest round on the European Tour for six years at the home of golf.

“I’ve been swinging really well all year mostly, from about the U.S. Open when I qualified, and I got to the Irish Open and tore my calf really badly and really struggled to get right again after a while,” said Walters. “I finally got over that and then I lost my dad.

“It was quite hard. I just kind of decided not to feel sorry for myself, really, and kind of dust myself off and come in here, it has a healing quality. I don’t know, it’s hard to describe. I was here with my dad when we lost mum and just thought I was back with him.

“When you’re practising and working on things, you can feel things turning. Certainly last week and this week I could feel things turning a little bit. It doesn’t always mean much, you can’t go out there expecting anything, but I just had a good time.”

Four players – New Zealander Ryan Fox, Spaniard Adrian Otaegui, Frenchman Victor Perez and England’s Jordan Smith – share second place at eight-under par.

Fox, Smith and Perez were all also playing at St Andrews, while Otaegui carded his 64 at Kingsbarns.