Colsaerts leads the way in South Africa

Nicolas Colsaerts birdied nine of the last 11 holes to set the pace with a course record nine-under-par 64 in the first round of the Volvo Golf Champions tournament at The Links at Fancourt.

The big-hitting Belgian jumped into a four-stroke lead in an event billed as the European Tour's first true tournament of champions.

Colsaerts birdied all four of the par-threes and four of the par- fives.

Padraig Harrington was three behind until he finished with a double-bogey seven that left England's Tom Lewis and home hopes Thomas Aiken and Branden Grace in joint second.

Open champion Darren Clarke managed only a 74, but that was one better than Masters champion Charl Schwartzel in the winners-only 35-man event.

"I can reach most of the par-fives in two so it's quite a bonus when you get to birdie the par-threes," said the man who vies with Spain's Alviro Quiros as the longest hitter on the European Tour. The only par-five he failed to birdie was the fourth where he hit a four-iron over the green.

Colsaerts got his round going with a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-three second, "pretty much the longest putt I holed all day."

Because of the challenging nature of the course, he said it was probably the best round of his career. "I kept hitting the irons very, very close to the flag," he said.

George resident Grace, who qualified for the tournament by winning last week's Joburg Open, said his round could have been even better.

"I missed a couple of short ones but I kept hitting the ball well and giving myself chances. It will be nice to see how I can follow it up."

Lewis, who turned 21 two weeks ago, double-bogeyed the 16th but finished with two birdies. Having only turned professional late last year he said he hadn't even been aware that there was a tournament open only to champions. "But obviously to be here with the players that are here, it's incredible."

However, Open champion Clarke already has 10 strokes to make up - he was wearing contact lenses for the first time, but rustiness was his problem.

Until he reached the 549-yard 18th Harrington was the one doing his best at trying to reel Colsaerts in, but a bad drive and three putts led to a double bogey and a 69.

"Such is life," said the Dubliner, 89th in the world and trying to get back into the top 64 in time for next month's Accenture world match play in Arizona.

"It was a very comfortable six under for 17 holes, but it's a nasty tee shot and that was a mental error."

Oosthuizen, who lives in nearby Mossel Bay, said the greens were in good condition. "You can attack it a little bit but it's still a proper golf course and you need to hit it straight."

Home favourite Ernie Els dropped two shots on the first three holes but a strong finish, which included birdies on the last three holes, enabled him to dip under par with a 71.

"I played here I think about eight to ten times through the December holiday, making six, seven, eight birdies with my mates but it's different when you are playing competitive golf. I'm glad I got it under par and I'm not out of the tournament."

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel went out in three-over-par 39. Three birdies in a row from the 13th got him back to even par but he then bogeyed the 16th and 18th, both par fives, to limp in with a 75, one behind playing partner Darren Clarke, the British Open champion.