Schaper and Du Plessis Share BMW International Open Lead After Opening 64s

South African duo Jayden Schaper and Hennie du Plessis hold a share of the first-round lead at the BMW International Open after both carded bogey-free 64s at Golfclub München Eichenried in Munich on Thursday.

Countryman JC Ritchie and Australia’s Anthony Quayle sit one shot back at seven under par, with Quayle birdieing his final hole in the late wave to post a bogey-free 65. In all, 107 of the 156-player field finished under par.

For Schaper, who won back-to-back titles in South Africa and Mauritius late last year, a win in the European Swing’s closing event would make him the first three-time winner on the 2026 Race to Dubai. The 25-year-old is currently fourth in the season standings but has suffered a dip in form since the early months of the campaign, missing the cut at both the US PGA Championship.

Schaper’s 64

Starting on the 10th alongside Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed, Schaper saved par from eight to ten feet on his opening hole before making back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12. Two chip-ins, at the 14th and the par-three 17th, helped him turn in 31. He then birdied the long par-three second before capitalising on the par fives at six and nine to reach eight under.

“I think just coming into the event, I know the course, I’m comfortable with it,” Schaper said. “I’ve been here a couple of years now. I love the area, love the city, so it’s always a week that I enjoy coming to.”

On the chip-ins, he said: “From those positions, normally you’re just trying to make an up and down. But I chipped them in and just nice moments in the round and just kept the momentum from there.”

Du Plessis credits US Open experience

Du Plessis joined his compatriot at the top after a 64 built on six birdies and an eagle. The 29-year-old made his Major Championship debut at Shinnecock last month and admitted he had needed time away to reset before arriving in Germany.

After birdies at the 11th, 15th and 18th on his front nine, his round accelerated with consecutive gains at the fourth and fifth, a five-foot eagle conversion at the par-five sixth, and another birdie at the ninth.

“Very happy with it. I think the experience [at Shinnecock] made me a better golfer for this week,” du Plessis said.

The chasing pack

Ritchie, a graduate of the HotelPlanner Tour last season, eagled the par-five 11th and credited a hot putter for four birdies in a five-hole stretch on his front nine. His lone blemish came at the 17th.

An English quartet of Paul Waring, Ross Fisher, Dan Bradbury and Joe Dean sit in a seven-strong group at six under alongside Scotland’s Daniel Young, South Africa’s Michael Hollick and American Davis Bryant.

Tournament invite Brad Dalke, a former US Amateur runner-up who left YouTube channel Good Good last week, opened with a one-bogey 69 alongside defending champion Daniel Brown.

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