LUKE DONALD GOES TWO CLEAR AT WEATHER-HIT NEDBANK CHALLENGE

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS 

A sensational birdie-eagle start at the Gary Player Country Club handed Luke Donald the early lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge before thunderstorms brought a premature end to day one at Sun City.

Donald flew out of the blocks to move to the top of the leaderboard on three under par through three holes before the day’s first weather suspension hit the South African venue. After a two and half hour delay, the players went back out on the course, allowing Donald the opportunity to make back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth to turn in five under par 31.

The Englishman, who successfully defended his Dunlop Phoenix title in Japan a fortnight ago, then made pars on ten and 11 before play was called for the day as further storms descended upon Sun City. 

“It doesn’t get much better than a three-three start around here,” said Donald. “Birdie-eagle and all of a sudden you are three under par through two holes. I played solid for those first 11 holes and hit a couple of very nice shots in that time that I was able to take advantage of. I feel good over the ball right now and I am playing with confidence. 

“I took a lot of confidence from winning in Japan. It is a place that I love to go back and a course that I love to play so it was very satisfying to be able to go back there and defend.

“I had seen good signs in Dubai the week before that and did some good work on my long game with Chuck Cook before I left for Dubai and I really felt the benefit of that. I also have to say that the putting came back in Dubai and Japan. That had been a little off for most of the year so it was very encouraging to get that back and I am feeling good about my game right now.”

Donald holds a two-stroke lead over Denmark’s Thomas Björn, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Zimbabwean Brandon de Jonge, who holed out from 101 metres for an eagle on the ninth hole to charge up the leaderboard. 

Defending Nedbank Golf Challenge champion Martin Kaymer is on two under, while Henrik Stenson’s defence of his Race to Dubai crown got off to a solid start, with the Swede one under through seven holes. 

Round one will resume at 07:30 local time on Friday morning, with round two expected to tee off from 10:10.

 

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
No player completed 18 holes due to bad weather
Luke Donald (England) 5 under par after 11 holes
Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 3 under par after 12 holes
Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 3 under par after six holes
Martin Kaymer (Germany) 2 under par after six holes

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