JOHANNESBURG — South African Richard Sterne, looking to go one better than his runner-up finish at last week's Dubai Desert Classic, fired an eight-under 63 to share the Joburg Open first-round lead Thursday. The 31-year-old, playing on his home Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, produced six birdies and a chip-in eagle at the ninth to join German rookie Maximilian Kieffer at the top of the leaderboard. Second-tier Challenge Tour graduate Kieffer, 22, like Sterne playing on the easier West Course, sprinkled his round with eight birdies. South African Bryce Easton recorded a hole-in-one at the par-three 12th on the East Course on his way to taking third place on 65. Britain's Ross McGowan was in the hunt going into the closing holes but he bogeyed the 16th and 17th to finish with a 67. Norwegian Espen Kofstad also looked like he might grab a share of the lead before a triple-bogey seven on the 18th meant he ended up with a 66. World No. 18 Charl Schwartzel opened with a 68 on the East Course. India set for golf league A team-based golf event inspired by cricket's Indian Premier League (IPL) and starring a host of major winners tees off Friday, with organizers hoping the “snappy” format will attract new fans to the sport. British Open winner Darren Clarke and two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, are among those taking part in the Golf Premier League franchise at the Aamby Valley golf course near the western Indian city of Pune over three days. The televised $400,000 floodlit tournament will feature eight teams of four players battling it out over three stroke play rounds of 14 holes, rather than the four rounds of 18 holes seen in most tour events. Each team will comprise two players who have made a mark at international level, an Asian Tour star and an upcoming player, all selected at an auction held in Mumbai last month. Former US Open winner Michael Campbell attracted the highest bid at the auction, going for $61,000 to the Shubhkamna Eagles, who have also signed up Indian professional Anirban Lahiri and Daniel Chopra of Sweden. Cabrera was snapped up for $55,000 by the Maharashtra 59'ers, who also have tournament organiser and Indian professional Shiv Kapur on their side. Northern Irishman Clarke fetched $55,000 and will play for Uttarakhand Lions, a team co-owned by India's Test spinner Harbhajan Singh. Organizers are hoping the event will match the resounding success of cricket's Indian Premier League, which sparked similar Twenty20 ventures in Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. — Agencies
