Van Rensburg leads by two in Euro opener

JOHANNESBURG, - South African's Nico van Rensburg reaped the rewards for working on his game over Christmas to take a two-shot lead in the South African PGA tournament, first event of the 1999 European Tour, on Thursday.

Van Rensburg shot a seven-under-par 65 as the event began at the Houghton Golf Club to leave star attraction Ernie Els two shots adrift after a 67.

Van Rensburg, who finished third in this event two years ago, decided not to take any time off over the festive season.

He was rewarded with only a single dropped shot on Thursday in a round which included six birdies and an eagle.

"I've been working really hard on my swing and it's paying off now," he said.

Van Rensburg narrowly missed out on his European Tour card at the final stage of the tour's qualifying school in Spain late last year, after an unpleasant round with American Mac O'Grady, a former coach of Severiano Ballesteros.

"I played with Mac O'Grady and he made it impossible for me to play well. He accused me of walking across his line and generally being a difficult player. I'm not trying to get back at him in any way, but I've never been given the opportunity to answer his accusation."

Van Rensburg, 32, has achieved relative success on the Asian Tour, finishing fifth on last year's Order of Merit after winning the Kuala Lumpur Open.

Els, the two-times U.S. Open champion, carded his 67 despite an on-course argument with a photographer, which led to a double bogey at the par-four second hole.

This his first event since he got married to long-time girlfriend Liezl Wehmeyer on New Year's Eve.

England's Nick Faldo did not get the start to the season he had hoped for.

The 41-year-old six-times major champion and former world number one, who is seeking points to qualify automatically for this year's European Ryder Cup team, dropped a shot at the last hole a frustrating five-over-par 77.

Asked if he was at all surprised that he played so badly, Faldo said: "There are no surprises anymore, just disappointments."