MALELANE, South Africa — In an impressive display of skill, Andy Sullivan carded a stellar 8-under 64 to secure a narrow one-stroke lead following the opening round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Thursday.

The 205th-ranked golfer from England recorded eight birdies during his flawless round at the renowned Leopard Creek Country Club, showcasing his talent and precise play.

Not far behind, a trio of players including England’s Alex Fitzpatrick—which makes him the younger sibling of 2022 U.S. Open victor Matt Fitzpatrick—found themselves tied for second place alongside Marcus Kinhult from Sweden and South Africa’s Casey Jarvis.

In contrast, Thriston Lawrence, ranked 46th and the sole competitor in the 156-player field in the upper echelon of rankings, struggled with a score of 3 over, leaving him a daunting 11 strokes behind the leader.

This event marks the second consecutive tournament in South Africa for the European Tour, following the recently concluded Nedbank Golf Challenge held the previous week.