Great Dane shares Tshwane Open lead with Horsey

Pretoria (AFP) - A hole-in-one helped Dane Morten Orum Madsen to a seven-under-par 63 Thursday and a share of the Tshwane Open first-round lead with Englishman Dave Horsey.

South African Wallie Coetsee and Australian Brett Rumford are one stroke behind at the 6,459-metre (7,063-yard) Pretoria Country Club in the European Tour-Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned event.

South Africans Merrick Bremner, Dean Burmester and Keith Horne are on 65 with Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin after a round staged in perfect early autumn conditions.

Madsen, who shared third place at the Africa Open in East London last weekend, aced the eighth and eagled the ninth for a fantastic finish having played the back-nine first.

He used a wedge for his hole-in-one and sank a 12-footer at the next hole after reaching the green with a drive and a three iron.

"I said to my caddy last week that a hole in one is on the cards pretty soon," said the 1.91-metre (six foot three inch) Danish giant.

"The last couple of weeks I have been hitting some approach shots really close to the pin.

"I have found something in my game that is working and I have been pretty consistent -- I played my back nine today really well."

Madsen, whose round included two eagles, four birdies and one bogey, is hunting a second European Tour title having won the 2013 South African Open.outward

Three-time European Tour winner Horsey birdied three outward-nine and four inward-nine holes and did not drop a shot.

An eagle, five birdies and a bogey were in the Coetsee card while Rumford was a model of consistency with three birdies on each half of the course.

Defending champion Ross Fisher from England started with a one-under 69 and Europe 2016 Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland carded a one-over 71.