Storms dog the SA Open

at Glendower WHILE South Africa desperately needs the rain, organisers of the 105th BMW SA Open Championship at Glendower will be hoping for a good few hours of sunshine today to wrap up a tournament that has been dogged by late afternoon thunderstorms.

For the second day running, lightning and heavy rain forced a suspension of play yesterday with only three players managing to finish their third rounds.

Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (68), Argentina’s Tano Goya (70) and local boy Vaughn Groenewald (74) managed to beat the rain and the siren, sounding at just before 3.30pm.

Friday’s second round also ended early due to heavy rains with players forced to return to the course yesterday morning to complete their rounds. Englishman Daniel Brooks was one of them and he carded a 67 to go with his first round 68 to lead on 9-under par when the round was finally completed.

And, after playing nine holes of his third round yesterday he was still hanging on to a spot at the top of the leader board after registering birdies at the first and eighth, but dropping a shot at the fifth for a score of 10-under par.

He’ll look to finish his round strongly this morning, as will local lad and winner of the Cape Town Open in November, Brandon Stone, who was also at 10-under after going out in 33 blows with four birdies. He also birdied the par-4 11th to put himself in contention for a first national open title.

But with many more holes to be played than just the final 18 it is still anyone’s tournament with 15 players five shots off the pace. One of them was Richard Sterne, who started his third round on the 10th and shot a stunning 30 on his opening nine holes. He made four birdies and an eagle and after he’d turned, made a further birdie at first to be very much in the running.

South Africa’s Keith Horne went out in 36 before the hooter sounded and is two shots back of the leaders. Behind him were Chris Swanepoel and Christiaan Bezuidenhout; the former one of the hottest players on the course yesterday. After opening with a bogey five at the first he rallied to make birdies at the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth and at the par5 13th to be in the mix.

Four players were tied at six under par, four off the pace; among them Italy’s Renato Paratore (four birdies and an eagle) to go with a bogey. He had one hole to play this morning to finish his third round.

The highest ranked player in the field, Branden Grace (14th in the world), also returned to the course early yesterday to complete his second round and while he was looking good at one stage to take a commanding lead into the third round, the wheels came off somewhat for the Fancourt player.

He made two late bogeys to record a 68 second round score and be two off the pace and while he birdied the par-5 second to get himself back into contention once his third round got under way, poor driving and some erratic iron shots saw him make bogey fives at the fourth, fifth, ninth and 10th holes. The hot favourite to take the title this week had slipped back to four-under overall and tied for 18th.

The cut was made at twoover par with several big name stars missing out on the final two rounds; among them former champions Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman and last year’s victor, England’s Andy Sullivan.

With so much golf still to be played and a champion to be crowned this afternoon, organisers will be praying for a little sunshine, at least until late afternoon.