Stephen Browne made an extremely solid start to his new professional career in the South African Players' Championship at Royal Cape Golf Club yesterday. The 27-year-old Dubliner shot a five-under-par 67, to lie just two shots off the first-round leader, Mark Cayeux of Zimbabwe.

Browne bogeyed the second hole but then rallied superbly to fire four birdies on the outward run to turn in three-under-par 33.

His only other bogey came at the 12th hole, but it was sandwiched between two other birdies and Browne's seventh birdie of the round came at the short 15th as he worked his way into tied-seventh position.

Cayeux finished with three successive birdies to take the overnight lead, but it proved to be a far from happy day on the greens for pre-tournament favourite Ernie Els, who had to settle for a 70.

The South African, who started on the ninth hole, began his round with a birdie at the 10th and birdied the 16th and 18th holes to turn in three-under par. But two bogeys on either side of his birdie at the par-five fifth slowed his progress on the second nine.

"It was a mediocre round," Els said. "I was three-under through nine and looking forward to a good back nine. But I didn't hole too many good putts and I'm a little disappointed."

US Open champion Retief Goosen opened with a 69 and US Tour player Rory Sabbatini had a 72.