Malelane, South Africa – Jbe' Kruger and Seve Benson both under 64s on Thursday to take the early lead at the suspended Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Both players are trying to win their first European Tour title at Leopard Creek Country Club, and while Benson has struggled this year, Kruger has come closer and closer to breaking through.
Benson has missed the cut more often than not this year, and he hasn't finished any better than 15th in any event in 2011. Kruger, on the other hand, has finished in the top 25 in each of his last two tournaments and posted back-to-back top-10s at Ballantine's Championship and the Italian Open.
The first round was close to completion when darkness fell and suspended play for the night. It will resume at midnight (et) Friday, followed by the second round. There are 24 players still on the course.
The highest ranked player in the field is No. 95 George Coetzee, who is tied for third at six-under 66 with Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, George Murray and Alan McLean. Coetzee is the only member of the top 100 in the world rankings participating.
Lee Slattery and Josh Cunliffe share seventh at minus-five, while Mikko Korhonen, Jaco Van Zyl and Merrick Bremner all shot four-under 68.
The lowest scores still on the course are four players sitting at three-under.
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