Porteous in driver’s seat chasing Hyundai Open title

Haydn Porteous is chasing his second title this season on the Sunshine Tour after opening with a 64 to lead Thursday’s incomplete first round of The Hyundai Open by two strokes at the Ebotse Links.

After losing nearly five hours of play to a typical highveld thunderstorm, Porteous, the winner of the recent Vodacom Origins of Golf Gowrie Farm tournament, managed to finish his round with an eagle, eight birdies and two dropped shots.

📸 Eagle time. 🦅Haydn Porteous has made the perfect start to his round with a hole-out eagle on the first hole. #TheHyundaiOpen #GreatnessBeginHere #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/YGLoxTGgvg

— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) November 6, 2025

The first round will resume at 07:00 on Friday, with the second round scheduled to start at 10:10.

Porteous’s round of golf was destined for something special as he holed out with his second for an eagle two on his first hole of the day – the par-four 10th hole.

“It was a great round today, starting with an eagle and two birdies. It was just the start I wanted. Unfortunately, I made a couple of soft bogeys, but I played some solid golf to give myself good chances. But there is still a lot of golf to be played,” Porteous said.

Tristen Strydom is his nearest challenger after an opening round of six under 66. It was an equally positive start for Strydom, who is finding his feet again after only returning to the Sunshine Tour this season following a back injury.

What a start by Tristan Strydom. -7 in the first nine holes. 👏

📲 Open the Sunshine Tour app for the live leaderboard. #TheHyundaiOpen pic.twitter.com/CQZqG9oYkJ

— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) November 6, 2025

His front nine of 29 was exactly the confidence boost he needed.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better start. I holed a 35-footer on the first hole for birdie, which opened the gates and I tried to keep the foot on the gas and attack the golf course. It’s my first 29 I’ve ever shot in my life so it was really cool. I am very pleased with putting up a good score on the board.”

JC Ritchie, fresh from having secured his DP World Tour card for next season, opened with a round of five under 67 to place him in a group of six players in tied third place.

SCORES (INCOMPLETE ROUND)

-8 - Haydn Porteous

-6 - Tristen Strydom

-5 - Nikhil Rama, Warwick Purchase, Jacques P de Villiers, Ruan Korb, Casey Jarvis, JC Ritchie

-4 - Kieron van Wyk, Keenan Davidse, Xander Basson, Jean Hugo, Samuel Simpson, Luis Carrera [6]

-3 - Jacquin Hess, Keagan Thomas, Eric Wowor, Hennie Otto, Jason Roets, Austin Bautista, Bryce Easton

-2 - Brandon Meads, James Mack, Jacques Blaauw, Christian Kriek, Jonathan Ackerman [9], Conner Mackenzie [6], Hayden Griffiths [6], Altin van der Merwe [6], Gerhard Pepler [6]

-1 - Kyle De Beer, JJ Senekal, Graham van der Merwe, Tyron Davidowitz, Hunter Epson, Ruan Groenewald [6], Ruan de Smidt [6], Rowan Lester [6], Lyle Rowe [6], Jonathan Broomhead [6], Daniel van Tonder [6], Ryan Van Velzen [6], Pieter Moolman [6], Benjamin Van Wyk [3], Anthony Michael [3], Christiaan Burke [3], Ethan Smith [3], Ricky Hendler [3], Keegan Mclachlan [3], Karabo Mokoena [3], Ryan van der Klis [3], Musiwalo Nethunzwi [3]

Par - Keelan van Wyk, Mikkel Antonsen, Franklin Manchest, Danie Van Niekerk, Ulrich van den Berg, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa, Nyasha Muyambo, Jordan Burnand [6], Stals Swart [6], Matthew Spacey [6], Luke Jerling [6], Malcolm Mitchell [6], MJ Viljoen [6], Wynand Dingle [3], Luca Filippi [3], Stuart Krog [3], Luke Brown [3], Pierre Viallaneix [3], Daniel Cronje [3], Jaco Prinsloo [3], Trevor Fisher Jnr [3], Albert Venter [3], Tyran Snyders [3], Jean-Paul Strydom [3], Simon du Plooy [3], Toto Thimba Jnr [3], Marcel Steyn Scholtz [3]

+1 - Jason Broomhead, Tumelo Molloyi, Ronald Rugumayo, Slade Pickering, Ruan Conradie, Zachary Chegwidden, Deon Germishuys, Estiaan Conradie, Quintin Wilsnach, Tomas Gana, Merrick Bremner, Otto Van Buynder [6], Gregory Mckay [6], Joe Knox [6], Herman Loubser [6], Marcus Sandile Taylor [3], Joe Long [3], CJ Van Wyk [3], Liam Grehan [3], Jordan Duminy [3], Werner Deyzel [3], Tristin Galant [3], Peter Karmis [3]

+2 - Combrinck Smit, Tyrone Ryan, Robson Chinhoi, Rourke van der Spuy, Mandla Dlamini Jnr [9], Makhetha Mazibuko [6], Heo Minjun [6], Kyle McClatchie [6], CJ du Plessis [3], Hennie O'Kennedy [3]

+3 - Sentanio Minnie, James Pennington, Kyle Barker, Stephen Ferreira, Keanu Pestana, Allister de Kock [6], Rhys West [6]

+4 - Neil Schietekat, Trevor Mahoney, Pierre Pellegrin

+5 - Thabiso Ngcobo, Thomas Spreadborough, Leon Vorster, Heinrich Bruiners, Khaya Jika, Paul Boshoff [6]

+7 - Nick Cunningham, Rupert Kaminski