Merrick Bremner leads the SA Open Championship on day one
South Africa’s Merrick Bremner upstaged compatriot Matthew Carvell and the former Ryder Cup Swede Henrik Stenson on Thursday's opening round of the SA Open Championship, posting a course record of eight-under par 64.
Bremner, who is 500th in the Official World Golf Rankings, used 25 putts and matched the Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate’s course record.
Last year, the South African was just one shot behind the leader, entering the last two rounds of the tournament.
However, his scores of 72 and 75 on the weekend dragged him down to the 20th position, at the end of the tournament. This week, he intends to make up for the disappointment he faced last year.
The 26-year-old got off to a brilliant start on Thursday, birdying six of the first nine holes to reach the turn in six-under.
He then slowed down on the back nine of the course, and recorded only two birdies and seven par putts. Yet, the score was good enough for the South African to bring cheers on the faces of the local fans.
“I played fantastically on the first nine - I could have shot 28,” he told the Sunshine Tour website. “I started thinking a bit more and playing clever golf as opposed to using too much aggression, which is what I normally do”.
He added, “It's got a lot to do with the work I've been putting in behind the scenes. I've been working with a sports psychologist and that's probably led to my change in thought patterns on the golf course. I can see the bigger picture now. It's not just about brawn - it's sometimes about the brain as well”.
Bremner, who plays on the European Tour as an affiliate member, desperately needs a victory this week, if he wants to earn a full-time playing status for the 2013 season.
Standing on the 293rd position in The Race to Dubai, he does not stand any chance of making it into the top-119 in the list, even with a top-10 finish this week.
Therefore, he will have to retain the top spot on the leaderboard, by maintaining consistency in the remaining three rounds.
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