Caldwell feels the burn; Sharvin running on empty; Leona trailing

The ninth green at Leopard Creek

Jonny Caldwell avoided sunburn but paid a high price for two bad swings on his return to European Tour action in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at a scorching Leopard Creek.

Making his first appearance on the circuit for eight years, the Clandeboye man (35) opened with a two-over 74 to end the opening day nine shots behind Dutchman Will Besseling, whose 65 gave him a one-shot lead over England’s Garrick Porteous, Spain’s Pablo Larrazábal and South Africa's Keith Horne.

Caldwell was one-under for his round with six holes to go in sweltering temperatures when he racked up double-bogey sevens at the 13th and 15th holes. Scores

"Apart from two bad swings on 13 and 15 I played fairly solid," said Caldwell, who hit his second shot out of bounds at the 13th, then drove out of bounds at the 15th. “I’m just not used to this heat."

Despite the heatwave, Caldwell opted not to take advantage of a special dispensation from the Tour, permitting players to wear shorts during tournament play for the first time.

“No, my legs would be roasted off me," joked Caldwell, who regained his European Tour card at the Q-School after a 10-year absence this month. "There's not enough suncream in the whole of South Africa for them!"

Caldwell was tied for 77th, just one stroke outside the projected cut mark but fellow Co Down man Cormac Sharvin was near the back of the field after making a quadruple-bogey nine at the dangerous 15th in an eight-over 80.

"I’ve played a lot worse and shot under par!" said Sharvin, who also made five bogeys and notched just one birdie. "Yesterday has told me that I’m ready for some well needed time off.

"I was going to play in Mauritius but I’m done for the year after this week. I need to take time off, reflect and learn from this year and be fully ready for 2020."

It has also been a long season for Leona Maguire, who birdied two of her last five holes to open with a one-over 73 in the Ladies European Tour’s €300,000 Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana in Marbella. Scores

The Slieve Russell star (24) was tied for 42nd at Aloha Golf Club, eight strokes behind Germany’s Olivia Cowan, who shot a career-best, seven under par 65 to head Order of Merit leader, Marianne Skarpnord of Norway by one stroke.