Wynand Dingle made a strong start at the South African PGA Championship with a seven-under-par 65, sharing the first-round lead at St Francis Links. The Sunshine Tour professional dropped only one shot during his round, which was later matched by rookie Stals Swart. Both players are two strokes ahead of their nearest competitors, Estiaan Conradie, Heinrich Bruiners, and JJ Senekal, who previously finished third in this event in 2014.
Dingle's performance marked a promising beginning, particularly as he comes from humble roots in the Karoo, where he started practicing golf with a piece of AstroTurf at the age of 10. With one previous victory at the 2022 Vodacom Origins of Golf San Lameer, Dingle now has a perfect opportunity to chase the biggest win of his career at South Africa’s second-oldest professional golf tournament.
Jaco van Zyl also made a solid start, shooting a four-under-par 68, as he pursues a potential piece of history. The three-time winner of this event is aiming for a fourth title, which would place him alongside Harold Henning as the only other player to achieve such a feat. George Coetzee, who is recovering from wrist surgery, also opened with a 68, continuing his comeback following his win at the 2022 South African PGA Championship on the same course.
Defending champion Rupert Kaminski had a challenging start, carding a round of 73. The South African PGA Championship is supported by several organizations, including the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency, the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, the Kouga Local Municipality, Momentum, and Cape St Francis Resort.
ADD A COMMENT :