South Africa&aposs Richard Sterne and Germany&aposs Maximilian Kieffer dominated the first day of the Joburg Open in Johannesburg on Thursday. The duo shot eight-under 63s on the par 71 west course to hold a one-shot lead over South African Bryce Easton, who carded a seven-under 65 on the par 72 east course which included a stunning hole-in-one on the 12th hole Sterne set his round up with four birdies and a ninth hole eagle on the way in before finishing with two birdies on the way out while Kieffer also recorded a bogey-free round with five birdies on the front nine and three on the back nine. Despite only scoring five birdies, Easton made his round with an 167-metre seven-iron on the 12th hole that dropped in for his first ever ace. A swag of players including Peter Uihlein (65), Jake Redman (66), Joakim Lagergren (65), Tyrone Mordt (65), MJ Daffue (65), Allan Versfeld (66), Trevor Fisher Jnr (66) and Tyrone Ferreira (66) – who had one of the more erratic rounds of the day – were tied for fourth on six-under with the players to switch courses in Friday&aposs the second round. Ferreira hit a round-high nine birdies but undid his good work with bogeys on the third, fifth and 11th to ensure that he was a little off the pace. Norwegian Espen Kofstad will rue a final hole triple bogey that saw turn his eight-birdie round into a negative and slip from a share of the lead to equal 12th.