China’s Wenyi Ding set the early pace to share the lead at the Joburg Open with Englishman Jordan Smith after a seven-under-par 63 in the first round at the Houghton Golf Club on Thursday.
The 20-year-old Ding's error-free round saw him hit seven birdies while 32-year-old Jordan, twice a winner on the DP World Tour, also went round without dropping a shot.
Ding got off to a flying start with birdies at the first two holes and kept up the momentum as he got into the clubhouse.
He was followed not long after by Smith, who started from the 10th tee and followed up back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th with two more at the 15th and 18th.
The pair lead by a shot from German Nicolai von Dellingshausen, the English pair of Marco Penge and Callum Tarren plus the home duo Malcolm Mitchell and Jayden Schaper.
There were nine players on five-under on a course that has been affected by rain in Johannesburg in recent days.