The trio opened with rounds of six-under-par 66 to establish a two-shot lead at the top of the leaderboard.

Wallace’s round comprised an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys. On his front nine, the Zimbabwean professional birdied the first hole before dropping a shot at the second. He recovered with a birdie at the fourth, an eagle at the fifth and another birdie at the seventh to card an outward 32.

On his inward nine, Wallace made birdies at the 10th and 12th holes before dropping a shot at the 16th. He responded with another birdie at the 17th to card an inward 34.

Knox also birdied the first hole before bogeying the third. He followed that with a birdie at the fifth, an eagle at the seventh and another birdie at the eighth, before dropping a shot at the ninth to turn in 33.

He then began his inward nine with consecutive birdies at the 10th and 11th, followed by further birdies at the 15th and 17th. A bogey at the 18th saw him card an inward 33.

The other leader, Visser, also birdied the first before bogeying the third. He added further birdies at the fifth, seventh and eighth holes, but a double bogey at the ninth saw him turn in 35.

Visser responded with a flawless back nine, making birdies at the 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th holes to card an inward 31.

Jacques van der Merwe, Vaughn van Deventer, Brandon Pieters and Christian Kriek share fourth place on four-under-par 68.