WATCH | SA golfer Erik van Rooyen ducks for cover as swarm of bees take over fairway at PGA event

South African golfer Erik van Rooyen's opening round at the PGA Tour's Mexico Open created plenty of buzz on Thursday.

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Van Rooyen, 33, shot an impressive 7-under 64 to sit just one shot off the lead held by American Austin Smotherman.

But it wasn't only Van Rooyen's game that was "a buzz" on Thursday, as the South African had to duck for a swarm of bees on the fairway on the 10th hole.

The swarm caused Van Rooyen and his playing partners, Chez Reavie and Francesco Molinari, as well as the television crew to duck for cover to avoid bein stung.

"I just saw them here and I just told my caddie, I'm like, 'bees, bees, bees,' and he looks at me like I'm crazy," Van Rooyen told the PGA Tour website. "So, I dropped down, then he sees them, he dropped down. [Molinari] and [Reavie] look at me like I'm nuts and then they realised, like, 30 seconds later ... the bees just went right at them.

"It's funny, but certainly don't want to get stung by those bad boys."

"I have never seen anything like that."A swarm of bees was probably not something @FredVR_ and crew saw coming @MexicoOpenGolf ?? pic.twitter.com/4RjzysQ5qx

Van Rooyen said he's not allergic to bees but was happy to escape the hole unscathed with a par.

"I had a 4-iron in my hand to a pin that's tucked on the right," he explained. "You've just got reset and refocus, so it's simple."

Van Rooyen started the day with a bang, making four birdies in his first seven holes before making a bogey on the par-4 eighth. He bagged another birdie at the 14th hole before holing out from 137 yards for an eagle on the next hole.

He said he hit a pitching wedge and just "went straight at it".

"You don't really plan on holing out from 137, so when it happens it's pretty sweet," Van