HEREFORD golfer David Park open-ed the new European Tour season with a one-over-par 73 at the South African Airways Open today.

The 29-year-old's round included two birdies and three bogeys, leaving him in the middle of the pack chasing Australia's Brett Rumford, who led by two shots following an eight-under-par 64 at the Erinvale course.

Park will be out to improve on his 62nd place in last year's Volvo Order of Merit, which included two seventh-place finishes at the Qatar Masters and Benson and Hedges International.