Shane Lowry failed to find his stride at the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Thursday, carding a first-round two-over-par 74 to lie eight shots off the lead.
Lowry is aiming to sign off a fantastic 2015 by becoming the first Irishman to win the elite 30-man tournament, but he has his work cut out after a disappointing start in South Africa.
He shot five bogeys and three birdies in a patchy round as Henrik Stenson and Jaco van Zyl set the early pace.
Stenson finished joint last when seeking a hat-trick of victories in the DP World Tour Championship a fortnight ago, admitting his mind was "not in the right place" at the end of a long year, and arrived in South Africa suffering from the flu.
But the 39-year-old turned a five per cent chance of playing into a share of the lead as he carded a flawless 66 at the Gary Player Country Club on Thursday to finish six under par alongside local favourite Jaco van Zyl, with defending champion Danny Willett a shot behind following a bogey-free 67.
"I've been in bed with the flu for three days and after I had to pull out of the pro-am on Tuesday I probably had a five per cent chance of playing," said 2008 champion Stenson, who is also due to undergo a minor knee operation next week.
"I felt quite a bit better this morning and the doctor didn't see any reason why I couldn't play. I'm delighted with the score, but the last few holes I completely ran out of energy.
"From the 14th onwards my legs were like jelly and it was a real struggle. I missed a couple of chances coming in, but I would've taken one under standing on the first tee, so I'm very happy.
"This year the rough is a bit less penal but you still have to be very accurate off the tee and precise with your iron shots."
Van Zyl has won 13 times on the Sunshine Tour but admitted he was feeling the pressure on his tournament debut, adding: "I could feel my heart beating in my throat on the first tee. This is Africa's major."
The 36-year-old birdied three of the last five holes to book his place with Stenson and Willett in the final group on Friday, with fellow South African Branden Grace and Open runner-up Marc Leishman two shots off the pace on four under.
