GEORGE, January 19, 2012 (AFP) - 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 on Thursday.
The big-hitting Belgian jumped into a four-stroke lead in an event billed as the European Tour's first true tournament of champions.
On a hot, almost wind-free day, his nearest challengers on five-under- par 68 were South Africans Branden Grace and Thomas Aiken and young Englishman Tom Lewis.
Colsaerts birdied all four of the par-threes and four of the par- fives.
"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."
Ireland's Padraig Harrington got to six under but drove into trouble on the par-five 18th, then three-putted for a double bogey seven to join David Horsey, Joost Luiten and Louis Oosthuizen on 69.
Harrington said his finish had spoiled what had been "a comfortable six-under." He said the tee shot on the last 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.
Scores after the first round of the Volvo Golf Champions tournament over the par-73, 6,652- metre The Links at Fancourt course on Thursday:
64 - Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL)
68 - Branden Grace (RSA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Thomas Aiken (RSA)
69 - David Horsey (ENG), Joost Luiten (NED), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Padraig Harrington (IRL)
70 - Matthew Zions (AUS), Colin Montgomerie (SCO)
71 - Raphael Jacquelin (FRA), Kenneth Ferrie (ENG), Hennie Otto (RSA), Garth Mulroy (RSA), Jose Maria Olazabal (ESP), Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP), Thomas Bjorn (DEN), Ernie Els (RSA)
72 - Paul Lawrie (SCO), Alexander Noren (SWE), Retief Goosen (RSA)
73 - Lee Slattery (ENG), Robert Rock (ENG)
74 - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Robert Karlsson (SWE), Darren Clarke (NIR)
75 - SSP Chowrasia (IND), Simon Dyson (ENG), Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
76 - Pablo Martin (ESP), Matteo Manassero (ITA)
77 - Oliver Fisher (ENG)
78 - Michael Hoey (NIR)
81 - Thomas Levet (FRA)