BBC SPORT | Golf | Goosen grabs lead

Home favourite Retief Goosen and American Chris DiMarco set the pace in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City on Thursday.

DiMarco posted a clubhouse target of 68 after an opening round in which he made just one bogey.

Sun City line-up shines

South African Goosen, playing in the following pairing, matched that score and did so in even more impressive fashion with a bogey-free performance.

Ernie Els had been the early clubhouse leader as he produced his 25th successive sub-par round.

Leaderboard

-4 Chris DiMarco, Retief Goosen

-3 Jim Furyk

-2 Robert Allenby, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els

Els hit 11 greens in regulation but lacked the putting touch to make more than four birdies.

And he made no excuses for not cashing in on his consistency between tee and green.

The 2001 runner-up said: "The greens are absolutely perfect for us.

"If you play the shots you're supposed to, the birdies are out there."

Defending champion Sergio Garcia finished two shots adrift of the leaders after three-putting on the last green.

The Spaniard had chipped in on 16 but his closing bogey saw him finish two under for the day.

Goosen and DiMarco apart, only Jim Furyk broke 70, and several big European names had decidedly mixed fortunes.

Colin Montgomerie made a disastrous start with a quadruple-bogey eight at the first.

Colin Montgomerie quadruple-bogeyed the first
Montgomerie recovered from a nightmare start

But the Scot recovered to match four birdies with two bogeys in the remainder of his round to finish two over with a 74.

And although he ended the day propping up the 12-man leaderboard, Montgomerie will start the second day only six shots off the pace.

Montgomerie's playing partner, Darren Clarke, looked set to be among the leaders when he reached the 16th tee three under par.

But he double-bogeyed that hole and then dropped a further shot on 18 to card a level-par 72 and finish tied for ninth with Padraig Harrington.

Nedbank Golf Challenge first round scores

-4 Chris DiMarco (US) 68, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 68
-3 Jim Furyk (US) 69
-2 Robert Allenby (Aus) 70, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70, Ernie Els (Rsa) 70
-1 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 71, Nick Price (Zim) 71
Ev Darren Clarke (NIre), Padraig Harrington (Ire)
+1 Bob Estes (US)
+2 Colin Montgomerie (Sco)


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