Colsaerts, Haas seize the day at Sun City - Nedbank Golf Challenge
It is all bogeys and birdies as the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge comes to a close at the Sun City.
Surprisingly enough, the putting scene is not dominated by the enigmatic Lee Westwood, as it was couple of seasons ago. The back-to-back defending champion carded a miserly one-under, tying with Paul Lawrie and Louis Oosthuizen.
For Lee Westwood, hopes for an overwhelming first-time-ever three-win streak at the Sun City seem dashed as far as the first round goes.
Nay, driving from the Kikuyu grass rough, American Bill Haas and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts have seized the day. Both players, despite the one-sided breeze and treacherous layout, managed to clobber competition.
For the Schaerbeek-born Colsaerts, it was a day of exhilarating performance. He has played superbly, repeating the Ryder Cup efficiency that brought home the trophy.
His team-mates believe that he has, in a manner of speaking, really managed to outshine them.
For Haas, on the other hand, it could have been a whole lot sweeter, had he not bogeyed two of the last three holes. Dropping strokes on holes 16 and 18, he ended the first day of the $5 million tournament levelled with Colsaerts.
"Happy to make that last putt, a 6 on the last would have really stung,” a bearably chirpy Haas said. "Happy with 2 under, but it would have been nice to shoot a couple more. Because it's playing tough out there".
Jay, Haas’ father, had been teeing at the nearby Seniors’ Champion Challenge, where he tied for a second at 71.
Haas recalled the last time they were here at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City, South Africa.
He had tagged along to watch his father play, but remembers staying for only two holes, safari-ing and skiing having had caught his attention.
"I only watched like two holes of golf (in 2003) so a lot of the holes I've seen for the first time," Haas junior said. "At one point (on Thursday) I was on seven green and my dad ... was on 13 green, so I could see him. It is neat to feel like his peer
this week".
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