MALELANE, South Africa, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Ulrich Van den Berg birdied five holes in a six-hole span Thursday en route to an 8-under-par 64 and the lead at South Africa's Alfred Dunhill Championship.
The Dunhill, despite its December 2009 competition dates, is the first event of the 2010 schedule for the European PGA Tour.
Van den Berg didn't have a bogey in taking the first-round lead. Pelle Edberg had one bogey against eight birdies and is just one stroke behind at 7-under 65. Edoardo Molinari and Titch Moore are tied for third at 6-under-par. Another nine golfers shot 5-under 67 Thursday.
Van den Berg, playing the Leopard Creek course's second nine first Thursday, birdied the 11th hole. He made the turn at 3-under after birdies at Nos. 13 and 15 -- both par 5s. He birdied the course's first four holes and dropped to 8-under with a birdie at No. 6.
Edberg, playing in the second group off on the day, erased a birdie at No. 2 with a bogey at the third hole. Birdies at Nos. 6 and 8 and a series of pars allowed him to be 2-under after 11 holes. He finished with birdies in five of his last seven holes.
