Keegan McLachlan started the Sunshine Tour’s new 2026/27 season on a strong note when he opened with a bogey-free first round of eight-under-par 63 on Wednesday to lead the Mediclinic Invitational at the Heron Banks Golf & River Estate.
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After losing his Sunshine Tour card at the end of last season, McLachlan has started the new season with a vengeance and earned himself a one-shot lead over MJ Viljoen and Samuel Simpson.
McLachlan started his round on the 10th and rolled in two birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes.
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“I got off to a solid start and was one under par through the first five holes after missing two short birdie putts on the 12th and 13th holes. I chipped in from 50 meters for an eagle on the 15th hole, which felt like it kickstarted my round. On the 16th hole I made an 18-foot putt to turn in four under par,” he said.
With the weather closing in, McLachlan kept the momentum going and picked up three birdies in the opening three holes of his second nine, before adding a final birdie on the sixth – his 15th hole.
“When I got to the second green the wind was really pumping and the rain started to come down. I ended up hitting a six-iron into the third hole from 165 meters because of the rain and wind, and it ended up half a foot from the pin – I almost made a hole-in-one. It was a nice way to start the back nine – birdie, birdie, birdie. For the rest of the round I played solid golf and just stuck to my gameplan.”
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Since his joint 10th place at the 2023 Vodacom Origins of Golf KwaZulu-Natal, McLachlan struggled with his game and ultimately lost his Sunshine Tour card at the end of last season. Things, however, seem to be moving in the right direction this season.
“The last season I would say has been quite a struggle with my swing and it took a toll on my confidence mentally. I moved to a new coach in the beginning of the year – Athol Dowie – and he is keeping it very simple for me with a long-term process working on my swing. My short game has always been good, and now I am driving the ball nicely. It’s a big help on a course like this,” McLachlan said.
