Daniel Brooks opened up a two-shot lead in the early stages of the third round of The BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni.
The Englishman had already played 11 holes in the morning to complete his second round after storms hit Glendower Golf Club on Friday but that proved no distraction for Brooks who is searching for his second European Tour title.
He is no stranger to inclement conditions, having won the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI in 2014, which was reduced to 36 holes due to the weather, and he showed his prowess in adversity once again to move to ten under through three holes, two ahead of Keith Horne and Brandon Stone.
Brooks had taken a one-shot lead in the morning as he completed his second round in spectacular style. He was one over for his round after seven holes when the horn sounded but picked up birdies on the eighth, ninth, tenth, 13th, 15th and 16th to fly up the leaderboard.
And he continued where he left off around three hours later as he put his approach on the first to 20 feet and rolled in the putt to get to double figures and open up a two-shot advantage.
Daniel Greene had also enjoyed a productive resumption as he completed a flawless 66 and despite a bogey on the first, he then went eagle-birdie to join Branden Grace and Stone, who birdied the second, at seven under.
Grace finished his second round bogey-bogey to slip out of the lead in the morning but also birdied the second, a hole where he has picked up four shots this week, to move to eight under alongside Horne.
None of the leading group could take advantage of the gettable par five and recorded a trio of pars as Greene's up-and-down day continued with bogeys on the fourth, fifth and sixth.
Grace also bogeyed the fourth to drop to seven under but Stone was heading in the other direction as he sunk a brilliant curling putt on the fifth to move alongside Horne.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout was then at six under through five holes after chipping in on the fourth, alongside Jbe Kruger who had a single blemish on the first in the final group.
There was then a group of seven players at five under including Renato Paratore who was four under for the day through 12 holes.
