Reitan Leads Nedbank Golf Challenge with 63

SUN CITY, South Africa — Norwegian golfer Kristoffer Reitan fired a flawless nine-under-par 63, highlighted by 10 birdies, to claim a three-shot lead after the opening round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the DP World Tour Thursday.

Reitan, ranked 59th in the world, wasted no time asserting dominance at Gary Player Country Club. He birdied seven of his first 11 holes, building momentum early on the 7,437-yard layout. Additional birdies followed at the 14th and 15th, pushing him further ahead. A brief setback came at the par-four 17th, where a drive into a fairway bunker led to a bogey. Reitan rebounded immediately, holing a chip shot from the fringe on the 18th for his 10th birdie of the day to cap a strong finish.

The performance marks a promising start for Reitan, who secured his first PGA Tour card at the end of the previous season but opted to begin the 2026 campaign on the European circuit. He sat out last week's season-opening Australian PGA Championship, allowing extra preparation time that appeared to pay off. "It was a brilliant day, very, very happy the way I played," Reitan said afterward.

Trailing Reitan at six-under 66 are Sweden's Jesper Svensson, England's Marcus...