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Wet start First round of Dunhill Championship interrupted by rain
Posted: Thursday January 13, 2000 02:06 PM
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -- England's Brian Davis birdied three of the last five holes and shot a 4-under-par 68 to take the lead at the Dunhill Championship in a round delayed 5 1-2 hours by by 5 inches of rain. Only 75 of the 15 players completed their rounds in the season-opening event of the European PGA Tour, which also serves as an official event on the South African PGA Tour, leaving more than half the field on the course or yet to start. Davis overcame consecutive bogey-5s on Nos. 9 and 10, with birdies at 14, 16 and 17 to take a one stroke lead over four others, including compatriot Philip Golding. "I was up at 4:30 this morning and had to sit around for six or seven hours just eating - which is what I normally do -- and sleeping in the locker room," Davis said. "The thunderstorm woke me up last night and when I saw the rain I was very surprised that we could play. There were some points on the fifth hole where the water was running down the fairway, but apart from that it was not too bad." American Ronnie McCann, Scotland's Gary Orr and Italian Marco Gortana also were at 69, one shot ahead of five more. The heavy overnight rain that continued into the morning left the course waterlogged, and although the fairways and greens drained well, some bunkers were still muddy pools when play eventually started. The event was devoid of most of the well-known golfers from the European tour, although Ian Woosnam of Wales was three back of the leader after a 71 and South African Retief Goosen was at even par.
British Open runner-up Jean Van de Velde of France was at 4-over 76 while several others had yet to tee off.
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