MJ Daffue, the 37-year-old qualifier, was the best placed South African after the first round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.

The former US college golfer who has won twice this year – the NTT Data Pro-Am and the DP World PGTI Open – fired a three-under-par 67 to find himself two shots off the leader and in a tie for fourth.

Daffue made five birdies and two bogeys in a solid round on a good day of scoring.

Jackson Suber of the USA was atop the leaderboard after shooting five-under-par 65 which included six birdies, an eagle at the par-5 17th, and three bogeys, in his opening round.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, also of the USA, opened with a solid 68, while Bryson DeChambeau, who missed the halfway cut at all three previous Majors this year, recorded a good 67.

Former champions Francesco Molinari (67) and Henrik Stenson (68) were also in good form, both recording scores to keep them in the hunt going into Friday’s second round.

Rory McIlroy had to settle for an opening 72, two-over-par.

Besides Daffue, seven other South Africans teed it up at the year’s fourth and final Major on Thursday.

Veteran journeyman Shaun Norris will be happy with his 69, which included two birdies and one bogey, to be in a tie for 24th on a stacked leaderboard. Aldrich Potgieter, who got into the tournament as a replacement for the injured Louis Oosthuizen, also shot a 69 to be one-under-par and in a tie for 24th.

The next best South Africans are Hennie du Plessis, playing in his second Major this year after featuring at the US Open last month, and young Jayden Schaper, who both recorded even-par rounds of 70. They’re in a tie for 39th.

Michael Hollick, who won his first DP World Tour title in Munich two weeks ago, and was on debut in Major golf on Thursday, fired a decent 72 to be two-over-par but will need to go low on Friday to play at the weekend. He’s currently tied 85th.

Casey Jarvis, the current SA Open champion, had to settle for a 73 (tied 106th) and he, too, will need a big second round to play Saturday and Sunday.

Amateur Jack Buchanan, just 21, was also three-over-par after an opening 73.

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