Pieter Moolman finished with six consecutive birdies to lead the way after the first round of the 2024 D+D REAL Czech Masters.
The South African posted a round of 64, eight under par, to leave himself a shot clear of the field on another hot day at PGA National OAKS Prague.
England’s Brandon Robinson-Thompson, who won last week’s Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A on the Challenge Tour, is part of a six-way tie for second with Swede Jesper Svensson, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, South Korea’s Sung Kang and German pair Maximilian Rottluff and Maximilian Kieffer, the latter of whom won this event in 2022.
Moolman with experienced caddie David McNeilly on the bag quickly cancelled out each of his opening two birdies but back-to-back gains around the turn gave some indication of what was to come.
The two-time Sunshine Tour winner carded pars at the 11th and 12th before bursting into life from the 13th as he took advantage of the par five with an 11-foot putt and never looked back.
He holed from 36 feet at the next, put his approach at the 15th inside four feet and went close to eagle at the 16th, another par five, before settling for yet another birdie.
Pieter Moolman: “I hit some good shots, but you’re not shooting 29 if you’re not making putts.
The putter was definitely involved, but just staying patient giving yourself chances.
“The front nine is a bit open, you can bomb it a bit. The back nine is the tougher one where you have to really hit some good shots, give yourself good opportunities.
I think the course is gettable, but you still need to hit the shots, you still need to make the putts.”
The 33-year-old just held the 17th green before holing from 31 feet and an accurate approach at the last ensured it was six of the best, and an eight-under-par total to set the course record at PGA National OAKS Prague.
Robinson-Thompson would have shared for the lead but for an overhit bunker shot at the last, leading to a free drop from the hospitality tent and the only bogey of a seven-under-par round.
The group at six under features Frenchmen Julien Guerrier and Adrien Saddier, Spain’s Adri Arnaus, Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, German Jannik De Bruyn and England’s Sam Bairstow.
