Ryan produced a flawless performance around the 7,336 meter, par-72 Jack Nicklaus design and collected birdies at the third, fifth, 11th, 13th 15th and 16th.
Meanwhile Mordt stumbled with a bogey at the par-four second, but reeled in four birdies in succession to close the gap and added three more at the 10th, 13th and 14th to pull level with his namesake.
The pacesetters are two shots clear of IGT Tour regulars Bryandrew Roelofsz and Lean Boezaart, with England’s Sam Botham a further stroke back in fifth.
Top SA amateur Callum Mowat, already a winner in the 12-event IGT Race to Q-School Series, clocked in with a 70 for a share of sixth with professionals Mark Williams and Johan de Beer.
Recent Raymond Ackerman Championship winner Carrie Park from Irene carded an even-par 72 to join the bus at even par alongside fellow amateurs Matt Bright and Theodor Oosthuizen.
Mordt is ranked 59th on the Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit and is competing to stay focussed during the week-long layoff for the Nedbank Golf Challenge, before the final European and Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned Nelson Mandela Challenge in middle December.
Ryan, on the other hand, is well outside the top 100 in the rankings and he has to sharpen his game ahead of Qualifying School in January next year.
“I’ve played a couple of IGT Race to Q-Schools and I’ve had some good results, so I feel like I’m getting good form ahead of Q-School,” said Ryan, who won the first Race to Q-School at State Mines and recently finished second at Wingate.
The 24-year-old from Bryanston feels the former regular Sunshine Tour stop suits his game.
“The course is in great condition, although the greens are a little on the slow side,” he said.
“It took me a few holes to get used to the pace, but I could feel a low score was definitely there today.
“Houghton is the kind of layout that rewards good shots, but a small mistake can cost you dearly. Course management is critical at this course and I’m really pleased that I managed my way around with no bogeys.”
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