Weather interrupts Howell's round (From Swindon Advertiser)

Weather interrupts Howell's round

8:00am Friday 13th January 2012 in Golf By Gary Rose

DAVID Howell was three-over through 15 holes before play was suspended for the day at a thunderstorm-interrupted first round of the Joburg Open yesterday.

The Swindon golfer, who teed off on the more treachorous East course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, made a disappointing start to his round as he shot two bogeys over his first three holes.

Howell’s round picked up, though, as he carded birdies on the sixth and eighth.

A double bogey on the 11th meant he dropped back to two over before a dropped shot on the 14th left him on three over before play was suspended for the day.

England's Jamie Elson and Ireland's Damien McGrane share the clubhouse lead after the weather-interrupted first round.

Elson, who holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the final green of the European Tour's qualifying school at the end of last year to secure his card, made a flying start to 2012 with an eight-under-par 63 on Royal Johannesburg and Kensington's West Course.

That matched the earlier effort of McGrane, who managed to reach the clubhouse before thunderstorms halted play.

In total around four hours were lost because of the threat of lightning.

Some players unable to complete their rounds before darkness set in as a result of the delay.