Charl Schwartzel and Paul Dunne share lead at Alfred Dunhill Championship

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel maintained his impressive record at Leopard Creek by claiming a share of the lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

The South African, who has four wins and four runner-up finishes in his previous 12 visits to the course, fired a six-under 66 to join Ireland's Paul Dunne at the top of the leaderboard.

Pablo Larrazabal is one of six players sitting a stroke off the pace, with one-time leader Branden Grace three shots back after bogeying both par-fives along the closing stretch.  

After posting a birdie-two at the fifth, Schwartzel kicked off his back nine with successive gains before picking up shots at the 13th and 15th.

Schwartzel then posted a two-putt birdie at the last to join Dunne, who posted a bogey-free back nine, tied at the top.

England's Max Orrin missed out on the early clubhouse lead after a final-hole bogey left him on five under, while Scott Jamieson posted an eagle and two birdies over his first three holes to card a matching 67.

Larrabazal, Alex Bjork and home pair Brandon Stone and Jean Hugo complete the tie for third, with just three strokes currently separating the top 30 players.

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"I  putted superbly well," Stone said. "I holed some incredible putts today. I missed a few but you can't have them all in the first day.

"I think the guys this morning, for the first nine holes, really had perfect scoring conditions and I was very fortunate that I got to start on the back nine where you could pretty much get a score going."

Two-time tournament winner Pablo Martin sits in the group on level par, while Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke quadruple-bogeyed the last on his way to a six-over 78.

Watch the Alfred Dunhill Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Live coverage begins on Friday from 8.30am.

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