Tyrone Mordt © Gallo Images

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Mketekete made three bogeys in a row over his turn -- on 17, 18 and one -- and then brought things back with four birdies in a row from four to seven.

“I got some good bounces on the homeward nine, which I think you need, and I putted well for the most part,” said Mordt.

Mketekete was relieved to get his round back on track: “I managed to stay calm, and then I made a birdie on four and it got the momentum back for me,” he said.

“What helped me today was I was actually hitting my driver perfectly. I only missed one or two fairways and I was only just off then,” he said.

Mordt agreed that being straight off the tee was important: “On this course, it’s important to keep it on the fairways. Obviously, if you can do that, it makes things a lot easier,” he said.

“For me, instead of taking the Tiger line on the doglegs, it’s all about putting it in the middle,” added Mordt.

Mordt was two clear of early leaders Willie van der Merwe, Alan McLean and Neil Cheetham, who all went off early and carded 68s.

Said McLean: “You need to keep the ball on the fairways, and from there, you can score. I’m happy, though, because 68s a good start any day.”

Agreed Cheetham: “That’s the story of this golf course: If you miss the fairway, then it’s potluck.”

The players all found it difficult to adapt to the desert course, where the rough is not the usual deep grass, but rather sand.

“I’ve never played on a course like this before but I’m enjoying it,” said van der Merwe. “It’s a different challenge in the sand, and if you land in it, it makes the shot really interesting.”

Defending champion TC Charamba of Zimbabwe finished on four-over 76, and has a lot of ground to make up.

Joe Nawanga is the leading Namibian player, and he carded an even-par 72.

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