SA duo Bekker, Fichardt share lead at Catalunya Championship

South African golfers Oliver Bekker and Darren Fichardt share the lead after Thursday's opening round of the Catalunya Championship in Girona.

Fichardt and Denmark's Jeff Winther had made late charges up the leaderboard to join Bekker at the top of the leaderboard.

Bekker set the target at six-under with a 66, and as the wind got up in the afternoon, it did not look like he would be caught at PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness.

But compatriot Fichardt reeled off six birdies in eight holes after the turn to pass him, only for a double-bogey on the last to drop him back alongside Bekker and Winther, who made four birdies in five holes from the 11th.

German Sebastian Heisele, China's Li Haotong and Englishman James Morrison shared second spot at five-under, while South Africa's Hennie du Plessis was a shot further back alongside four others.

66 - Oliver Bekker (RSA), Darren Fichardt (RSA), Jeff Winther (DEN)

67 - Sebastian Heisele (GER), James Morrison, Li Haotong (CHN)

68 - Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (FRA), Hennie du Plessis (RSA), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Julien Brun (FRA), Lukas Nemecz (POL)

69 - Daniel Gavins, Nicolai Hojgaard (DEN), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Thomas Bjorn (DEN), David Drysdale, Justin Walters (RSA), Ricardo Gouveia (POR), Richard McEvoy

Bekker is a European Challenge Tour graduate and has full playing privileges on the DP World Tour for the first time this season.

The seven-time Sunshine Tour winner has five top-10s from nine starts, including a career-best tie for third at the Steyn City Championship.

"I'm pretty happy, it's tricky out there, it's a tough golf course and you are just keeping your head down and trying to hit a good shot every time you step out there," he told the DP World Tour's official website.

"It punishes you