SOUTH AFRICAN Andrew McLardy shot a course-record 63 to hold a one-shot lead in the first round of the inaugural Joburg Open at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. The par-72 West course has never hosted a tournament before, as all previous events were on the tougher par-71 East course and so McLardy had the honour of posting the first official record. McLardy, whose parents hail from Helensborough in west Scotland, carded three birdies and one bogey on the front nine.But then he stormed back with a 29 coming home - including eagles at the 15th and 18th - to capture the lead. The eagle on 15 was even more remarkable as his tee shot landed behind an oak tree and he produced a snap-hook that rolled to within three feet of the hole. "I had a horrible front nine. I think I hit one fairway, the first fairway," said McLardy. "I scrambled everything and got away with it. I just changed my rhythm on the back nine and things went better." On seven under after a red-hot 64 is Italian Edoardo Molinari, who won the US Amateur in 2005 and is the older brother of European Tour player Francesco and had an error-free round with seven birdies on the par-71 course. "I played very well today. I think I had one bad shot, and that was on the 15th, but I managed to get up and down and sink a 15-footer for par there," Molinari said. The Italian believes he can shoot an equally low round on the opposite course today. "It's a whole other round tomorrow so you gotta go out and shoot as low as you can," Molinari said. Welshman David Park is tied for fourth on seven under 65 alongside Englishman Chris Ganes and four other players, while Gareth Davies, David Dixon and Jamie Little are in a bunch on six under. Warrington's Phillip Archer shot a 69. Collated first round scores: 63 Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 64 Warren Abery (Rsa), Mark Murless (Rsa), Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 65 Marc Cayeux (Zim), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), David Park, Chris Gane, Brandon Pieters (Rsa), Hennie Otto (Rsa), Sven Struver (Ger), Vaughn Groenewald (Rsa) 66 Ariel Canete (Arg), Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Gareth Davies, Desvonde Botes (Rsa), Hennie Otto (Rsa), Patrik Sjoland (Swe), David Dixon, Hendrik Nystom (Swe), Jamie Little, Vaughn Groenewald (Rsa), James Kingston (Rsa) Selected other: 69 Phillip Archer | 
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