European Tour: Sterne shares first-round lead at Africa Open

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EAST LONDON, South Africa (AP) -- Richard Sterne shot a bogey-free 7-under 66 Thursday to sit in a five-way tie for the first-round lead at the Africa Open.

Sterne started on the back nine and made three straight birdies from the 15th. He added three more on his next five holes to sit tied with Patrik Sjoland of Sweden, South African duo Titch Moore and Trevor Fisher Jr. and Mark Haastrup of Denmark.

"I was never really in trouble today, which was quite nice around here, because the trouble is normally a lost ball or something," Sterne said.

Four other South African players, including Carl Schwartzel and Thomas Aiken, were a shot back at 6 under.

Moore is a native of the Eastern Cape and used his experience at the East London Golf Club to negotiate the course with his driver.

"I was hitting it straight today, and I used it a lot on the homeward nine," he said.

His driver only let him down on the 16th when he made a bogey five.

"I blocked the drive right, and didn't have any kind of lie," he said. "When I was finally left with a three-foot putt, I managed to miss it."

Sjoland also had a bogey-free round, and eagled the 545-yard 15th.

England's Nick Dougherty entered the tournament as one of the favorites but struggled on his way to a 76, leaving him in danger of missing the cut.

Darren Clarke, who tied for second last year, made five birdies in seven holes on the back nine but then bogeyed the 18th to sit tied for 26th after a 69.