Fisher takes 2-shot lead at Nedbank Challenge

SUN CITY, South Africa: Ross Fisher opened the 2015 European Tour season with a 6-under 66 to lead the Nedbank Golf Challenge after Thursday’s first round.
Fisher last won on the tour in South Africa in March and the Englishman felt right at home at a sweltering Sun City with four birdies on the front nine and three on the back. His only slip came with a bogey on No. 16.
He’s two shots clear of a three-way tie for second between South African George Coetzee, Germany’s Marcel Siem and Frenchman Alexander Levy.
Siem had the shot of the day when he holed out with an 8-iron from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 on No. 17, his ball taking a lucky kick off the right edge of the green to head back across the surface and into the cup to win him a new car.
Defending champion Thomas Bjorn was last after the opening round of the new Oder of Merit schedule following an error-strewn 80. US Open champion Martin Kaymer, a former winner at Sun City in 2012, started with a 74 for a tie for 22nd. The German had four birdies, but also four bogeys and a double bogey.
Along with Kaymer, there are two other former No. 1s playing the 30-man invitational tournament in the wilderness of northern South Africa this week. Two-time champion Lee Westwood was subdued on one of his favorite courses for an even-par 72. Luke Donald went around in 71.
Brooks Koepka of the United States made a flying start on his Sun City debut with birdies on two of his first three holes. The European Tour’s 2014 rookie of the year found it a little tougher later in his round at Gary Player Country Club, and had a costly double bogey on No. 15 to end with a 70.
Fellow American Brendon Todd was 1 over and Kevin Na 5 over.
That wasn’t as bad as Bjorn, who had two double bogeys and five bogeys in a disastrous start to his title defense after finishing with two back-nine eagles here 12 months ago for the biggest payday of his career.
Major winners Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa both came into the tournament in mediocre form, but returned solid 70s to give the home country four players in the top 10 alongside Coetzee and Tim Clark.

Richardson leads Harrington in Indonesia Open
In Jakarta, Australia's Kalem Richardson fired an eight-under-par 63 to lead by one shot over Padraig Harrington of Ireland after the first round of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Thursday.
Richardson, who has achieved two top-five results in his last three events, rolled in eight birdies to steal the limelight from Harrington, who is making his debut at the $750,000 Asian Tour event.
The three-time Major champion produced his best score in 2014 with a 64 after birdieing his first two holes from close range at the Damai Indah Golf-PIK Course close to the capital Jakarta.
Australia's Adam Groom battled through a leg infection to score a 67 and tie in third place alongside India's Arjun Atwal, Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand and Bryce Easton of South Africa.
Starting from the 10th tee, Richardson stayed sharp on his first nine holes, which he said was because he had not played that stretch during the practice round, and was rewarded with four straight birdies.
"I guess when you haven't played the back nine, you concentrate more because you don't know where you are going. You really need to rely on the yardage book and good advice from your caddy," said the 26-year-old.
Leading scores after round one of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open:
63 - Kalem Richardson (AUS)
64 - Padraig Harrington (IRL)
67 - Adam Groom (AUS), Bryce Easton (RSA), Arjun Atwal (IND), Thanyakon Khrongpha (THA)
68 - Danny Chia (MAS), Rahil Gangjee (IND), Sam Brazel (AUS), S.S.P Chowrasia (IND), Daniel Chopra (SWE), Carlos Pigem (ESP), Blair Wilson (AUS)