• Africa Open, Round One

Goosen & Aiken start new season in style

Retief Goosen got the 2012 Race to Dubai underway on Thursday © Getty Images

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Leaderboard

Two-time major champion Retief Goosen lived up to his billing as the second highest ranked player at the Africa Open, as he moved into second place following a blistering opening round of 65 on Thursday.

Goosen, one of the few high-profile names to participate in the opening event of the 2012 European Tour season at East London Golf Club, started his tournament on the ninth and, after a sloppy opening bogey followed by an unspectacular par, reeled off five birdies in a row to make the turn in four-under.

The back nine was less spectacular, but three birdies without another mistake enabled the former US Open winner to settle for an eight-under par total.

That left him a shot behind fellow South African Thomas Aiken, who is looking to build on a 2011 campaign that saw him claim his maiden tour title at the Open de Espana. Aiken may yet go on to claim his first title on home turf, after a round of 64 that included two eagles.

Playing alongside Goosen, Aiken made his intentions known by making a three at the par-five 11th, as he went on to reach the turn in 30 thanks to three consecutive birdies. Another eagle - after firing his second shot to two-feet at the third - followed, as Aiken put himself in prime position at nine-under after the opening 18 holes.

"I wasn't really expecting that after two weeks without touching a club," said Aiken. "It was a great morning this morning - early start, and the scoring conditions were good.

"It was out there for the taking and luckily I hit some really good shots and made putts. I really enjoyed the round today; this is not the longest course, but it bites if you go skew. Anything off the line on this course is pretty much a reload off the tee, which makes it a thinking man's course."

Goosen is not the only player snapping at his heels, however, with Jaco Ahlers also well placed after a bogey-free round of 65.

The highest ranked player in the field, and defending champion, is world No. 40 Louis Oosthuizen, who made a measured start to the defence of his title. Having quickly moved to two-under, a double bogey at the sixth temporarily derailed the 2010 Open champion - before four birdies on the back nine carried him to a round of 69 and solid four-under score.

Late in the day Welshman Phillip Price broke up the home dominance as he moved into an early share of fourth with a seven-under round of 66. Englishman Danny Willett is the second non-South African on the leaderboard, as he carved out a round of 67 that put him on level terms with Richard Bland and Shaun Norris at six-under. Willett had a slow start to his day, but six birdies over his closing 13 holes ensured a satisfying start to the new season.

Chris Wood is also well placed, after starting his tournament with a comfortable four-under par round of 69 to sit level with Oosthuizen and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.

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