Hendler In Early Shared Lead At ERPM

 Ricky Hendler admits that he has not been at his best lately, but was happy to shoot six-under-par 66 in round one of the Altron Big Easy Tour tournament which placed him in a share of the early lead at ERPM Golf Club on Tuesday.

Hendler entered this 54-hole tournament on the back of two missed cuts on this circuit. On Tuesday, he looked like a different player en route to his 66. He started shakily on the 10^th, making a bogey there before making two pars to calm the nerves. Those were followed by a brace of birdies which saw him turn in 35.

“I haven’t felt great with my game at the moment,” admitted the left-handed Hendler who plays out of Dainfern Golf Club. “I’ve just started with Doug Wood at Serengeti to help me a bit with my game. Today was just a result of the hard work I have done in the last couple of weeks.

“I didn’t have the best of starts when I came out today but I had a couple of nice birdies on the front nine; didn’t take advantage of the par-fives on the back nine but somehow birdied the last four holes and it all came together.”

Hendler birdied the first hole – his 10^th – after the turn and for a stretch of four holes straight, birdies seemed to have abandoned Hendler. After that, Hendler found his groove; birdieing all four holes that remained in his opening round to seal a round of 66.

“I’m really happy with my start because I’ve struggled a lot but I have also worked really hard to get back to my best. I came out the first five events really well and got my win, and after that it just got the other way quickly. It’s golf. The putting was a bit of a struggle but I knew that eventually I will put a good round together and I am happy that I did.”

Hendler shares the top spot with Christiaan Burke who shot a flawless 66 on day one. Burke’s round was characterised by a solitary birdie on the front while he made five on the homeward stretch. Third on the leaderboard after 18 holes is Gerhard Pepler who won the last event at Soweto Country Club. He shot five-under 67 on day one at ERPM

Veteran campaigner Ryan Tipping is in a nine-way share of fourth on three-under-par after one round.

The Big Easy Tour was founded in 2011 with support from Ernie Els and counts current international star Christiaan Bezuidenhout amongst its former Order of Merit winners.

SCORES:

66 – Christiaan Burke, Ricky Hendler

67 – Gerhard Pepler

69 – Ryan Tipping, Philip Geerts, DK Kim, Casey Jarvis, Slenda Sithebe, Allister de Kock, Ruan de Smidt, Keegan Mclachlan, Coert Groenewald

70 – Slade Pickering, Irvin Mazibuko

71 – Gideon Pienaar, Jonothan Broomhead, Noel Anderson, Carlos Laranja, Thanda Mavundla, Makhetha Mazibuko, Vaughn van Deventer, Joshua Seale

72 – Ethan Smith, Henning du Plooy, Reinhardt Blaauw, Tristin Galant

73 – Adam Breen, Matthew Rushton, Marcel Steyn Scholtz, Nicholaus Frade, Marthin Scheepers, Stuart Krog, Keanu Pestana, Willie Olivier, Thabang Simon, Carlo Heunis, Pierre Pellegrin, Jason Froneman

74 – Mutahi Kibugu, Keelan Africa, Ethan Joseph, Bradley Diggeden, Gregory Mckay, Jordan Duminy, Matt Saulez, Jean Van Niekerk, Lindani Ndwandwe, Aneurin Gounden, Shalan Govender, Richard Kruger, Mark Williams, Fezekile Kana

75 – Tumelo Molloyi, John Bele, Thabiso Ngcobo, SP Mthethwa, Shane Feldman, Adriel Poonan, Evance Vukeya, Franklin Manchest, Alphius Kelapile

76 – Keaton Slatter, Regan Steyn, LB Boshoff, Jonathan Waschefort, Lincon Denzy Cele, Omar Sandys, Robson Saurombe, Steven Le Roux, Sentanio Minnie, Francois van Staden, Zabastian de Jager, Cameron Moralee, Reece Mc Kain

77 – Phumlani Maluka, Mike Maile, Darren Slingers, Lindani Mthiyane, Boeta Nasie, Luke Trocado, Musiwalo Nethunzwi

78 – Kevin Rhoderick, Sipho Bujela, Jason Roets, Jastice Mashego, Leon Visser, Kyle Lucas

79 – Lwazi Gqira

80 – Thabo Moraba

82 – Sandy Makume, Mark Maart

83 – Gerard Moodley, Brandon Moodley

86 – Byron van der Merwe

89 – Llewellyn Leibrandt, Ricco Motsa

DSQ – Teboho Sefatsa