Nedbank Golf Challenge 2016: Thursday Leaderboard Scores and Highlights

Ross Fisher, Felipe Aguilar and Jeunghun Wang shared the lead atop the leaderboard at the 2016 Nedbank Golf Challenge on Thursday after carding four-under 68s.

Seven players trailed them by one shot at the close of play in the first round of the competition in Sun City, South Africa, including Henrik Stenson and Alex Noren.

Here is how the leaderboard at the Gary Player Country Club is shaping up thus far:

Pos	Player	To Par	Round One
T1	Ross Fisher	-4	68
T1	Felipe Aguilar	-4	68
T1	Jeunghun Wang	-4	68
T4	Henrik Stenson	-3	69
T4	Alex Noren	-3	69
T4	Victor Dubuisson	-3	69
T4	Richie Ramsay	-3	69
T4	Jaco van Zyl	-3	69
T4	George Coetzee	-3	69
T4	Chris Wood	-3	69

Recap

Each of the leading trio had similar rounds, with a single blemish apiece alongside five birdies. 

Fisher—who almost missed out on a share of the lead after dropping a shot at the 17th, before pulling one back on the final hole—perhaps stands out as the biggest threat of the three.

The Englishman is enjoying some exceptional form having accrued a combined score of 50 under par in his last four events, two of which he finished as runner-up.

In an otherwise fairly quiet morning, the highlights included play being briefly halted by a business of mongooses on the course, per the European Tour's official Twitter feed:

Among the last out were Stenson and Danny Willett.

Stenson bogeyed the sixth, but the Swede showed his class to regain the shot with an impressive birdie three on the eighth:

The world No. 4 picked up another shot at the ninth and narrowly missed out on the chance to do the same on the 10th as he lipped out.

Stenson carded another bogey at the 13th, but three successive birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th ensured a strong finish.

Danny Willett had a round to forget, however. The reigning Masters champion got his round off to a strong start with a birdie on the first, but disaster quickly struck, per golf writer Ron Mintz:

After another dropped shot at the eighth, Willett produced a mixed back nine consisting of three birdies and two more bogeys.

Stenson will have his eyes firmly on the lead on Friday after a strong first round, but Fisher's recent form in particular will make the coming days even more intriguing if he can continue his run.