<p>India's Shubhankar Sharma endured a tough opening round, carding a one-over 73 to lie tied 80 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship here.</p>.<p>Sharma began in style with birdies on his first two holes, but then the birdies dried up. He had no more gains, but dropped shots on par-3 seventh, Par-5 13th and Par-4 14th to finish over par.</p>.<p>Sharma needs a good finish both this and next week to make it to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, for which only the top 60 on the Race to Dubai qualify.</p>.<p>Sharma is currently 137th on the standings.</p>.<p>Frenchman Robin Roussel and Poland's Adrian Meronk took advantage of a receptive Leopard Creek course and shared the lead with their rounds of seven-under-par 65.</p>.<p>Roussel enjoyed a run of five consecutive birdies from the turn on his way to the top of the leaderboard, while Meronk had two eagles – chipping in from the bunker for one of them – as they opened up a one-stroke lead over the rest of the field.</p>.<p>Their nearest challenger is Scotland's Scott Jamieson, who birdied four of his last five holes for a 66.</p>.<p>Ockie Strydom leads the South African challenge after day one following a rare bogey-free round of four-under-par 68.</p>.<p>A bit of overnight rain and cooler conditions softened up the Leopard Creek course on day one of this Sunshine Tour and European Tour co-sanctioned tournament, which allowed particularly the morning field to take advantage. </p>
<p>India's Shubhankar Sharma endured a tough opening round, carding a one-over 73 to lie tied 80 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship here.</p>.<p>Sharma began in style with birdies on his first two holes, but then the birdies dried up. He had no more gains, but dropped shots on par-3 seventh, Par-5 13th and Par-4 14th to finish over par.</p>.<p>Sharma needs a good finish both this and next week to make it to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, for which only the top 60 on the Race to Dubai qualify.</p>.<p>Sharma is currently 137th on the standings.</p>.<p>Frenchman Robin Roussel and Poland's Adrian Meronk took advantage of a receptive Leopard Creek course and shared the lead with their rounds of seven-under-par 65.</p>.<p>Roussel enjoyed a run of five consecutive birdies from the turn on his way to the top of the leaderboard, while Meronk had two eagles – chipping in from the bunker for one of them – as they opened up a one-stroke lead over the rest of the field.</p>.<p>Their nearest challenger is Scotland's Scott Jamieson, who birdied four of his last five holes for a 66.</p>.<p>Ockie Strydom leads the South African challenge after day one following a rare bogey-free round of four-under-par 68.</p>.<p>A bit of overnight rain and cooler conditions softened up the Leopard Creek course on day one of this Sunshine Tour and European Tour co-sanctioned tournament, which allowed particularly the morning field to take advantage. </p>