article_snippet: Englishmen Richard Bland and David Howell were one stroke behind early pacesetter Kevin Phelan on the first day of the Africa Open in East London.
article_snippet: Bland, 42, and Howell, 39, both shot four-under-par rounds of 68 to trail Kevin Phelan after the Irish golfer mixed six birdies with a bogey to sign for 67.
article_snippet: Richard Bland could have returned to the clubhouse as a joint leader had Richard Bland not dropped two shots across three holes on the turn.
article_snippet: David Howell's caddie (right) tries to move a deer off the tee on the 14th hole before Kevin Phelan player tees off .
article_snippet: Richard Bland is tied second after carding a four-under-par round of 68 .
article_snippet: A  bogey on the par-four 12th scuppered David Howell's's chances of taking a share of first place.
article_snippet: Twenty-year-old Matthew Fitzpatrick was in the hunt on three under after picking up three strokes on the front nine before remedying the effect of a bogey on the eighth with a birdie on the 531-yard 15th.
article_snippet: Howell, who came second in last week's Joburg Open, is currently tied second on day one with Bland .
article_snippet: The title will definitely change hands this year given 2014 champion Thomas Aiken is instead competing at the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral.
highlights_snippet: Richard Bland and David Howell lead chasing pack after each making 68 .
  
highlights_snippet: David Howell trying to go one better from last week's second at Joburg Open .