Sports
Ding and Smith Share First-Round Lead at Rain-Soaked Joburg Open
Wenyi Ding and Jordan Smith surged to the top of the leaderboard at the Joburg Open, finishing the first round tied at seven-under-par 63. Their impressive performances at a rain-soaked Houghton Golf Club on Thursday gave them a one-stroke lead over five chasers, including South Africa’s Jayden Schaper.
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Challengers in the Mix
A total of nine players followed closely at five under par, with more than 70 golfers managing to go below par on an opening day that saw difficult wet conditions. Newly crowned South African Open champion Dylan Naidoo finished with an even-par 70, while England’s Dan Bradbury, the 2022 champion, posted a 71.
Many of the top performers teed off in the morning when the course was still drenched from heavy rainfall the night before. Danish golfer Jacob Olesen, who shot 65, admitted he hadn’t expected play to start on time due to the wet conditions.
“When we had dinner last night, it was pouring down. I told my caddie, ‘We’re gonna wake up at 4:45 a.m., but we ain’t gonna be playing,’” Olesen said.
Even after the round started, conditions remained challenging. “I hit a drive on hole three that was just inside the edge of the fairway, and it took us maybe two-and-a-half minutes to find the ball because it had plugged so badly,” he added.
Schaper, who opened his round with an eagle on the par-five 10th, faced similar struggles. “I had so many plugged lies on the fairways today … the third, the fourth, the fifth … I mean, the whole golf course is quite wet,” he said.
Also Read: Dylan Naidoo Set for Joburg Open After SA Open Victory
Adapting to the Conditions
Despite the challenges, players adjusted their strategies accordingly. Germany’s Nicolai von Dellingshausen, who carded a 64, emphasized patience and smart play.
“You can’t really force anything out there. You have to play smart, get the ball in play, find the fairways, and take advantage of preferred lies rather than risk ending up in the rough with thick mud on the ball,” he explained.
However, co-leader Smith took a more aggressive approach, using his driver to gain an advantage.
“It was about hitting driver on a few holes, getting further down the fairway, and then hitting wedge shots closer while managing spin. With the greens being so soft, you really have to judge it perfectly,” Smith said.
He also highlighted the strategic variety at Houghton. “It’s a very tree-lined course with a lot of short holes, so you can either go for it with a driver or lay back and hit an iron off the tee. For me, I prefer to get the driver and go for it.”
Course Recovery Efforts Praised
One thing all players agreed on was the outstanding work of the greenkeeping staff, who ensured the course was playable despite the downpour less than 12 hours earlier. Their efforts allowed for an exciting opening round, setting the stage for a competitive Joburg Open.
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