GEORGE (South Africa), Dec 16: Holder Tim Clark and little-known Briton Ross Fisher equalled the course record at the Links at Fancourt to share the lead after the first round of the South African Open on Thursday.

Clark and Fisher fired five-under-par 68s on the windswept southern Cape coast to match the record held by South African trio Steve van Vuuren, Hennie Otto and Thomas Aiken.

But there was no joy for home favourites Retief Goosen and Ernie Els.

World number four Goosen failed to take advantage of an early tee time and posted two double bogeys in a level-par 73.

Els, the world number five, fared even worse with a three-over 76.

South African Clark, who turns 30 on Saturday, also had an early tee time and took full toll of the relatively calm conditions by returning only one bogey.

Fisher started his round six hours later when the wind was beginning to strengthen.

Starting at the 10th hole, the 25-year-old Englishman reeled off five birdies to blaze through his first nine in a best of the day 32 strokes.

Fisher dropped strokes at the first and eighth but birdies at the fifth and ninth earned him a share of the lead on the opening day of the second oldest national championship.

Leading first round scores