Jason Scrivener was the leading Aussie at the Steyn City Championship with his opening 67. -AAP Image
Big-hitting South African James Hart du Preez has carded a nine-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the European tour's Steyn City Championship in Johannesburg.
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Du Preez even raised the prospect of a 59 when he was 11 under with two holes to play on Thursday, before he finished with two bogeys.
He was one shot ahead of compatriots Jaco Ahlers and Shaun Norris and Italy's Nino Bertasio.
A 59 wouldn't have counted as a tie of the tour record, though, as players benefited from preferred lies after heavy rain in recent days.
Du Preez, who is 2.06m tall, had two eagles and seven birdies in his opening round.
The leading Australian in the field on a low-scoring day was Jason Scrivener, whose five-under 67 featured six birdies but was still only enough to have him lying in joint-17th position.
Queenslanders Maverick Antcliff and Scott Hend both missed out on the birdie fest, their rounds of 71 leaving them in joint 95th position.
