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
TO VIEW THE REST OF THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
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
TO VIEW THE REST OF THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: PRO GOLF
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