JOHANNESBURG – A fierce thunderstorm with torrential rain hit Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club on Saturday, bringing what little play was possible in the Joburg Open to a halt – but not before South Africans Dean Burmester and Sunshine Tour Order of Merit leader Brandon Stone had moved into contention in this R16,5-million tournament that has been reduced to 54 holes.
Darren Fichardt, who completed his second round on Friday with a 66 on the par-72 East Course, sits on top of the leaderboard on 11-under-par 133, alongside England's Paul Waring who had it to 12-under at one stage near the end of his second round. That had to be completed early on Saturday morning and he dropped a shot on the par-71 West Course's par-4 18th hole so he too is minus-11.
Burmester had two holes to play of his second round on Saturday and went bogey-par on the East. He wouldn't have wanted a drop shot at 17, but he had played superbly on Friday for 16 holes and he signed for a 67 to be on 10-under with compatriot Jacques Kruyswijk who opened with a 63 on the West on Thursday and followed up with 70 on the East on Friday.
"Just one off the lead and I'm looking forward to the final round. Hopefully I can finally get my hands on a trophy in a European Tour event," said Burmester who has become a consistently good performer albeit without a win at this level. "My game's pretty solid right now and I'm holing a few putts."
But the player making the biggest move has been Stone who signed for a fabulous seven-under-par 65 on the long, tough East Course after playing the last three holes of his round early On Saturday morning with two pars and a birdie to be on eight-under.
Again, he had done plenty of good work in his first 15 holes on Friday, highlighted by a five-under-par opening loop which included an eagle-3 at the par-5 eighth hole.
"Perfect drive, perfect three-iron to 20 feet and in went a perfect putt for a perfect eagle," he said after play was called off early on Saturday afternoon.
"It's great to be in the hunt again, even though I was a bit slow in the first round on the West, shooting 70," added the 23-year-old who won the SA Open in January last year and the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, both European Tour events.
Also right in the mix on nine-under are defending champion Haydn Porteous, Wales' Stuart Manley, Swede Anton Karlsson, England's Aaron Rai, Spain's Pep Angles and American Paul Peterson.
Well over 200mm of rain has fallen over Royal Joburg this week, and organisers had no option but to cut the tournament to 54 holes.
Only about half the players who made the cut on four under were able to start their third rounds on Saturday, and none of the leaders. On Sunday, rain permitting, it is hoped to get through the entire third round and announce a champion.
"It's not looking too positive though," said tournament director Theo Manyama. "It's extremely wet out there but we hope to get the first players out at 7am."
The leaders would then tee off at about 9.30 which would make for a 2pm finish. There's a saying in golf, when a course gets this much rain, describing the two nine-hole loops:
"Out in level par, back in a boat!" Hopefully that's not the case today and the rain stays away.