Els and Goosen trail leaders O'Hara and Kruger at South African Open

Steven O’Hara of Scotland and local favorite Jbe Kruger shot 7-under 65 on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the South African Open.

The pair led by a stroke over a group of four South Africans on the undulating Jack Nicklaus-designed layout at the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate.

Two-time champion Retief Goosen was in that group after hitting an eagle, seven birdies and three bogeys at the European Tour event.

Defending champion Ernie Els began his defense with a 69. The five-time winner holed six birdies but also made three bogeys.

Simon Dyson of England, the highest ranked player in the field at No. 32, hit a 70.

O'Hara, handling the pressure of trying to save his European Tour card, began the year with a fourth-place finish at the Africa Open. He needs another storng finish this week.

"I hit a lot of great shots," said O'Hara, who eagled the 576-yard eighth and had six birdies. "I had it inside 10 feet pretty much every hole and felt I could have made more birdies."

He is 134th on the European Tour money list and has to climb to 118th to be exempt for next season. As things stand, this is his last opportunity, but a top-five finish would give him a place in next week's UBS Hong Kong Open.

O'Hara had a golden chance at the Czech Open in August to make his immediate future secure, leading with a round to go before dropping to fifth with three closing bogeys.

Kruger led by four halfway through last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship, but finished in a tie for ninth after two closing rounds of 73.

"This is the SA Open, it's the biggest event when you grow up," he said. "Just to take it one shot at a time is the most important thing."

Goosen, beaten by a shot in Durban last December, reached 7 under as well and then had back-to-back bogeys, but finished in style by almost holing his tee shot on the 230-yard ninth. Like Els, he has just fallen out of the game's top 50 and has been battling injury.

"The whole year's been a struggle, but my back's been better the last month and the exercise I'm doing is helping," he said.

Els won only one of his five games for the International team in last week's Presidents Cup defeat and, given his problems on the greens, a three-putt bogey was not the start he was looking for. The 42-year-old fought his way back into things, but closed with a bogey after driving into the sand.

"Three under is not bad, but there were a couple of silly bogeys," he said. "I grew up in this area, so it's nice to be back and it's a great course."

Goosen shares third spot with fellow South Africans Merrick Bremner, David Hewan and Tyrone Mordt.

For England's Nick Dougherty, though, it looks like becoming 31 missed cuts in his last 32 events. He had a 76 with double-bogey 7s on the third and 16th.