Zander Lombard fired an eight-under 63 to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Soudal Open at Rinkven International Golf Club. Benefiting from calm morning conditions, the South African made a fast start with five birdies on the front nine, turning in 30, before adding further gains on the back nine to offset his only bogey of the day. Lombard said strong scrambling on holes seven and eight helped maintain momentum, particularly on the tougher inward half.
The 31-year-old, who regained his DP World Tour card through Qualifying School after returning from injury, hopes this performance can spark consistency after struggling to sustain form across four rounds this season. He also highlighted the positive influence of recent South African success on Tour.
Richard Sterne and Denmarkâs Jacob Skov Olesen sit one shot back on 64, while Tom Vaillant is fourth on five under. Eddie Pepperell marked his 300th DP World Tour start with a hole-in-one on the 15th.