Jake Roos came back from a victory in the Nedbank Affinity Cup in 2009, to grab a share of the first-round lead at Sun City's Lost City course on Tuesday.
Roos shot a 5-under 67 to tie fellow South Africans Clinton Whitelaw and Tyrone Mordt, nephew of famed rugby Springbok Ray Mordt, for the lead heading into Wednesday seconds round
"It was great to start here this morning, to be back and see the 18th, where I won the playoff (in 2009). Yes It's great to be back," said Roos, a two-time winner on the Sunshine Tour.
"It was a solid round. I hit the ball well and I was putting nicely - I was always in control," he added
A bogey at the first, could have, but never did, disrupt the 31-year-old's focus.
After that he was rock solid all the way through the front nine where he carded birdies at the fourth, fifth and seventh holes to turn at two-under.
"Once I birdied four I settled in, and from there I made my fair share of fairways and greens."
Next, having built a solid rhythm, Roos went down the closing stretch with birdies on the 11th and 14th to move to four-under.
"Some of the pins were tucked away on the back nine, but it was fair. I like the course and the greens are good, so I enjoyed it out there," he said.
Roos, who finished the tournament at 12-under-par in 2009, made his final birdie at the last to draw level with morning leaders Mordt and Whitelaw.
Mordt, who finished second at the Nashua Masters on Sunday, maintained his rich vein of form to card seven birdies during the round, but bogies at the ninth and 10th dropped him back to five-under.
Whitelaw turned at two-under before carding his first and only bogey of the day at the 10th, but he promptly recovered with a birdie at the 11th.
He closed out the round well, making birdies at the 15th, 17th and 18th holes to secure his share of first, one stroke clear of a three-way tie for fourth between Steven Ferreira, Des Terblanche and Grant Veenstra.
TOP 10 LEADERBOARD
67 - Tyrone Mordt, Clinton Whitelaw, Jake Roos
68 - Steven Ferreira, Grant Veenstra, Des Terblanche
69 - Dean O'Riley, Andrew Georgiou
70 - Darren Fichardt, Andrew Curlewis, Warren Abery, Prinavin Nelson, Jaco Ahlers, Ockie Strydom
golf365.com