JUSTIN Rose predicted he was ripe for a good season when he spoke to The Echo earlier this week - and yesterday, in his native Johannesburg, he was as good as his word.

The 20-year-old Hampshire golfer made a brilliant start to the new season, shooting a six under par 66 to grab an early share the first round lead in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at the Houghton Golf Club.

Rose's determination to establish himself as a European Tour player manifested itself in one of his best performances in the big stage since his fourth place as an amateur in the Open Golf Championship at royal Birkdale in 1998.

The young man, who lives at Hook near Basingstoke but who was actually born in Johannesburg, teed off at 6:50am local time yesterday, and he was soon awake to the task at hand.

He birdied four of his first five holes with only a bogey at the fourth spoiling his card.

Having reached the turn in three under 33, Rose then missed from 10 feet for a birdie at the 10th but rolled in birdie putts from seven and 12ft on the next two holes and picked up another shot on the 16th to set the early target on six-under-par 66.

That total was then matched by a stream of players as they took advantage of a course in excellent condition and playing very short due to the high altitude.

Mansfield's Greg Owen and Midlands duo Steve Webster and Paul Broadhurst joined Rose at the top of the leaderboard along with South African Ashley Roestoff and Scotland's Stephen Gallacher.

Later in the day, Scotland's Dean Robertson surged to the top of the leaderboard with a blistering ten-under-par 62.

But Rose's decision to come to South Africa a week early to practise had paid off handsomely and he said: "I'm very pleased with that although there are some things to work. I'm driving it really well but hit some poor iron shots over the last few holes.

"I wasted a good chance for a birdie on the par-five 18th because I had only a four-iron second shot but pulled it left and it hit the grandstand and went over the green onto the ninth fairway."

That wayward shot brought him into close contact with Nick Faldo who was pleased with his round of 68.

Salisbury's Gary Emerson hit a two under par 70 which was only good enough for joint 31st place.

He bagged six birdies and four bogies.