Lali Stander in Victoria Falls

MALCOLM Mitchell and Garrick Higgo combined for a fantastic nine-under par in the opening round of the All Africa Golf Team Championships to get South Africa’s title defence off to a good start at the Elephant Hills golf course in Victoria Falls on Tuesday.

A total of 15 nations started the prestigious biennial event being played against the spectacular backdrop of the Victoria Falls.

Coming off his third successive Ekurhuleni Open victory, Mitchell from KwaZulu-Natal was in blistering form and led the team with a superb five-under-par 67 at the Elephant Hills Golf Club.

Junior Presidents Cup standout Higgo from Boland was equally impressive with a four under 68 and Matt Saulez from KwaZulu-Natal added 76 to boost to the defending champions to the top of the pile at five under 211.

New cap Clayton Mansfield, also from KwaZulu-Natal, returned a non-counting 78.

South Africa will carry an eight-stroke lead over Egypt into the second round. Reunion finished in third on 222 and Kenya finished two further strokes adrift.

The host nation Zimbabwe combined for 225 to finish in fifth.

Mitchell leads the Individual Competition by one shot from Higgo.

Alexandre Lasalarie from Reunion in third on three under 69, while Alfred Nandwa from Kenya and Egyptian Issa Abu Al Ela also broke par with a pair of 71s.

Scores

Teams Leaderboard – Round 1

211 South Africa

219 Egypt

222 Reunion

224 Kenya

225 Zimbabwe

226 Zambia; Swaziland

228 Ghana

229 Tunisia

230 Mauritius

234 Botswana

236 Uganda

239 Namibia

240 Tanzania

254 Angola

Individual Leaderboard – Round 1 (Top 20)

67 Malcolm Mitchell RSA

68 Garrick Higgo RSA

69 Alexandre Lasalarie REU

71 Alfred Nandwa KEN; Issa Abu Al Ela EGY

72 Edwin Madigela BOT

73 Maxwell Owusu Bonsu GHA; Rakesh Channoo MUS; Denmarck Mulambo ZAM; Maged Adb El Tawab EGY; Tonderayi Masunga ZIM

74 Edwin Mudanyl KEN

75 Kwabena Opoku GHA; James Pennington ZIM; Mandla Dlamini Jnr SWZ; Antoine Sale REU; Abdel Monelm Shafei EGY; Farez Abd El Aziz EGY

76 Kelly Tembo ZAM; Sifso Vilane SWZ; Elyes Barhoumi TUN; Nizar Barhoumi TUN; Matt Saulez RSA; David Amm ZIM; Tatenda Makunde ZIM; Richard Mtweve TZA

(78 Clayton Mansfield RSA) — GolfRSA