Jack Buchanan finished two shots shy of Zimbabwe’s Tanaka Chatora in the opening round of the R&A Africa Amateur Championship, while South Africa’s top-ranked Lisa Coetzer opened up a two-shot lead in the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational at Leoard Creek.
Chatoria responded in the best way possible to two early bogeys on Wednesday with a pair of eagles for a leading seven-under-par 65.
After bogeys on the first and the third, the 18-year-old Zimbabwean didn’t put a foot wrong as he made five birdies and those eagles to take the lead in the invitation-only tournament that will give the winner exemptions into The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush and The Amateur Championship, amongst others.
A stroke back on four-under-par in a share of third were Kenya’s Michael Karanga and South Africans Johndre Ludick and Craig Roelof, while former Nedbank Junior Challenge champion Bryan Newman slotted into sixth with an opening 69.
Tanaka and Karanga are both members of The R&A African High Performance Programme. Karanga is ranked 52th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the second-highest in Africa behind Christiaan Maas and the highest-ranked player in the field.
South Africa’s number one and last week’s champion Astin Arthur had to withdraw due to health reasons.
Coetze, held on to a two-stroke lead at two-under-par 70 in the women’s tournament, despite making a double-bogey seven on the 18th.
Last week’s GolfRSA International Championship winner at Royal Johannesburg, Bobbi Brown shared second with Gia Raad, and one shot back in fourth was Kenya’s Chanelle Mwangi, with compatriot Bianca Ngecu three shots further adrift on four-under in fifth.
Supplied by GolfRSA