South African duo Jayden Schaper and Hennie du Plessis set early pace in Germany

Among the morning wave of starters in Germany, both players carded matching bogey-free rounds of eight-under-par 64 to set the early pace at Golfclub München Eichenried.

Countryman JC Ritchie was one shot further back alongside Anthony Quayle as the Australian, playing in one of the last two groups of the day, birdied his final hole.

Schaper is one of the star performers this season on the DP World Tour, having won back-to-back titles in South Africa and Mauritius at the end of last year.

While he enjoyed three top-20 finishes in his first four starts of 2026, his form has since dipped and he missed the cut at both the US PGA Championship and U.S. Open.

But, coming off the back of a week off, victory at the final event of the European Swing for Schaper would see the 25-year-old become the first three-time winner on the 2026 Race to Dubai.

"I think just coming into the event, I know the course, I'm comfortable with it," said Schaper, who is fourth in the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World.

"I've been here a couple of years now. I love the area, love the city, so it's always a week that I enjoy coming to."

He was soon joined by Du Plessis, who is on track for his career-best campaign so far on the DP World Tour after a strong burst of results on his home continent during the International Swing.

The 29-year-old made his Major Championship debut at the U.S. Open last month and admitted he has had to "get over a few nightmares" since his return from America.

There were certainly no signs of negative thoughts after a week away to practice on his game as he mixed six birdies with an eagle.

After birdies at the par five 11th and 18th were sandwiched by a gain at the 15th, his round caught fire on his back nine.

After back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth, he converted from five feet for an eagle at the sixth and picked up his fifth shot in a four-hole stretch at the ninth.

"Bummed that I didn't birdie the 18th, well the ninth, but it was a good, solid round," he said.

"Very happy with it. I think the experience [at Shinnecock] made me a better golfer for this week."

English quartet Paul Waring, Ross Fisher, Dan Bradbury and Joe Dean are in a seven-strong group at six under that also includes Scotland's Daniel Young, South Africa's Michael Hollick and American Davis Bryant.