Richard Sterne Smashes Course Record to Lead Nexo Championship in Scotland

South African golf fans woke up to good news on Thursday as Pretoria’s own Richard Sterne carved his name into the record books at the Nexo Championship in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

With the North Sea unusually calm and the wind playing far kinder than it did earlier in the week, Sterne seized his chance. The 43-year-old carded a flawless five-under-par 67, not only claiming the outright lead but also breaking the Trump International Golf Links course record. The previous best was 68.

From blustery chaos to calm precision

Just two days earlier, Sterne’s practice round had been a battle against brutal gusts. He admitted losing “seven or eight balls” to the wind on Tuesday. By Thursday morning, conditions had softened, and the South African made full use of them.

“I hit the ball a lot better than I have for a while,” Sterne said afterwards. “It’s a tricky course, even when it’s calm, but today I just kept things tidy. One day at a time – it’s a good start.”

A fast start and a flawless finish

Starting his round on the 10th, Sterne wasted no time, birdieing the opening par five before adding another on the 18th to reach the turn at two under. Three more birdies – at the first, third, and seventh – saw him pull ahead of the field.

Close behind are South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Louis Albertse, as well as Norway’s Andreas Halvorsen, all at four under. Aiken had been blemish-free until a bogey on the last, while Halvorsen mixed an eagle and four birdies with two dropped shots.

Chasing pack

The afternoon saw a cluster of challengers emerge at three under, including England’s John Parry, Jordan Smith, Matthew Baldwin, Joe Dean, and Alex Fitzpatrick, along with Spain’s Jorge Campillo, the UAE’s Adrian Otaegui, and Dutchman Darius van Driel.

A long wait for a win

Sterne’s last DP World Tour victory came back in 2013, and while it’s far too early to talk about silverware, his round has put him in prime position. The course record also places him in line for a $10,000 bonus through a new DP World Tour initiative with title sponsor Nexo.

Golf fans on social media were quick to praise the veteran’s composure. “When the wind drops, you have to make it count – and Sterne did exactly that,” one fan posted. Others pointed out that South Africans have a strong history of winning on Scottish links, and Sterne’s round has only fuelled hopes of another.

With three days still to play, the leaderboard is packed, but for now, Richard Sterne is the man everyone is chasing.

Source:Sabc Sport

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