McGrane and Elson share Joburg lead

IRELAND’S Damien McGrane and England’s Jamie Elson share the lead after a weather-interrupted first round of the Joburg Open yesterday.

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 unable to complete their rounds.

Elson was six under after 15 holes before the suspension and picked up two more shots in his last three holes when play resumed.

McGrane carded five birdies in a flawless front nine of 31 and collected two more on the back nine before chipping in for an eagle on the 15th. The only blemish on his scorecard came at the 18th with a bogey five.

“I am delighted to be in a good position,” McGrane said. “For the last three or four years Irish golf has been quite incredible and I think we feed off each other. I stacked up a few birdies, but that eagle turned my round. I hit plenty of fairways and holed a few nice putts for birdie, it was just the bogey at the last which was disappointing. Apart from that it was a perfect round.”

South African pair Desvonde Botes and Peter Karmis and Holland’s Reinier Saxton are a shot off the lead on seven under, with Scottish duo David Drysdale and George Murray another stroke back.

Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, was level par with three holes left. If he makes it a hat-trick he would become only the sixth player, after Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods to win the same European Tour event three years in a row.