Ryan Fox leading the hunt at Nedbank Golf Challenge

New Zealand's Ryan Fox carded seven birdies and an eagle for an opening round 64 to take a one-shot lead over Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald in the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club on Thursday.

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Fox, 35, is hoping to become the first New Zealander to be crowned Europe’s number one in the coming weeks having emerged as the closest challenger to Rory McIlroy at the top of the tour rankings.

Victory at Sun City will move him above his rival ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and the son of former All Black flyhalf Grant Fox started his week well, with just one dropped shot on the par four third hole, having battled on the course in his three previous visits.

Donald managed a faultless 65, including five birdies on his back nine, while Italian Guido Migliozzi sank three birdies in his last four holes to card a 67 for third place on the leaderboard.

Richard Bland, Fabrizio Zanotti and Min Woo Lee are another stroke back.

Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, who has not won since his 2019 triumph – the tournament was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 – carded an opening 70.

Fleetwood, who was reported to be suffering from heatstroke following Wednesday's pro-am, recovered from a double bogey on the eighth with four birdies to finish two under.

There are no Irish players in action at the tournament.

"I couldn't have wished for a better start," Fox said after his round. "I figure if you can get to double digits under par around here for the most part you’re going to be pretty close (to winning) come Sunday.

"To be most of the way there after the first round is pretty nice. I had a lot of good numbers, managed to get the yardages right and I