MALELANE, South Africa — South African Oliver Bekker birdied four consecutive back-nine holes en route Thursday to a 66 and a one-shot first round lead in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Australian Dimitrios Papadatos, the clubhouse leader for most of the day at Leopard Creek Country Club in northeastern South Africa, lies second after a 67 on the par-72 course.

Raphael Jacquelin of France is one shot further back on 68 followed by groups of nine on 69 and 70 after a testing opening round with high winds and fast greens.

Favorite Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, a four-time winner of the Dunhill Championship, could manage only one birdie as he began with a one-over 73.

Bekker had three birdies and one bogey on his outward nine followed by four straight birdies from the 11th hole.

The 34-year-old from Pretoria is ranked 305 in the world and seeking a first European Tour title after seven victories on the southern Africa Sunshine Tour.

As a late starter, he was less affected by the wind, which weakened during the afternoon in hot, partly cloudy conditions.

"The wind died a little bit and I was glad to be able to take advantage of that situation," said Bekker.

"I hit the ball really well today, finding most of the fairways, and coping with the really firm greens. It was a very solid round."

Papadatos, another challenger chasing a first European Tour triumph, picked up three birdies on the front nine and two coming back.

Jacquelin, four times a European Tour winner, began erratically with two birdies and two bogeys during his outward trek.

But a much improved inward half from the Frenchman allowed him to pick up four birdies and not drop a shot.

Among those on 69 is defending champion Brandon Stone while Louis Oosthuizen, winner of his first South African Open title last Sunday, carded a 71.

Schwartzel never clicked at his favorite golf course, which borders the Kruger National Park, and after turning in level par had a bogey six at 13 to finish one over.

Rose chases leaders at

storm-hit Indonesian Masters

Justin Rose was hot on the heels of the leaders at the Indonesian Masters on Thursday despite having his opening round curtailed by a severe thunderstorm that forced play to be abandoned.

Former US Open champion Rose, who needs a top-15 finish in Jakarta to reclaim the number one spot in the world Golf rankings, fired four birdies and an eagle before his round was cut short after 14 holes.

At five-under-par he was just one shot behind US Golfer John Catlin and South Korea's Sungho Lee, who both set the early pace at the Asian Tour's season-ending event with opening rounds of 66.

Lightning halted play just before 4.00pm local time (0900 GMT), meaning 62 players including England's Rose — the defending champion — will have to finish their first rounds on Friday.

Co-leader Catlin notched up seven birdies and one bogey in his completed round. "The only bogey I made was on the fourth hole where the putt lipped out from about three feet," Catlin said. "But I'm obviously happy with a 66 on a difficult Golf course."

Sungho Lee, whose best result this season was a tied-14th finish in Taipei, bagged eight birdies for his share of the lead. "I putted well and hit all my tee shots very well," Lee said. "It was very hot and I'm going to take it step-by-step as the round progresses."

Rose, the current world No. 2, has pledged to donate $50,000 to help with reconstruction efforts on the earthquake-hit islands of Lombok and Sulawesi. He will resume play from the 15th hole on Friday.

Asep Saefulloh and Rinaldi Andiyandono were the best-placed Indonesians at the par-72 Royale Jakarta Golf Club, both shooting a four-under-par 68 to finish the day tied for 10. — AFP