Daniel Brooks surged into a one-shot lead at The BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni as the weather-affected second round was completed on Saturday morning.
The players were forced off course at 1503 local time on Friday due to the threat of lightning as storms closed in and 78 had to return to the course to finish their first 36 holes.
Brooks is no stranger to inclement conditions, having won his only European Tour title at 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 as he claimed six birdies in 11 holes upon the resumption to fire a 67 and move to nine under, one shot clear of Keith Horne who completed a 69 on Friday.
I got out there this morning and played some really nice golf. The boost in the morning was good and got me going - Daniel Brooks
"It was quite breezy yesterday afternoon and I wasn't playing that great as well, it was nice to come in for me for a bit of a rest, it was needed.
"It's going be a long day having played 11 holes this morning so I'll just go out there and have some fun.
"Last year I got off to a really slow start and only started playing well halfway through the year so hopefully it'll be the opposite way round this year."
Branden Grace was then a further shot back after a bogey-bogey finish in his resumed round alongside Jbe Kruger who completed a 70 on Friday.
Brooks had been one over for his round through seven holes when the horn sounded but he returned to birdie the eighth and ninth and turn in 35. Another birdie followed on the tenth and further gains came on the 13th, 15th and 16th to overhaul Horne and move to the summit.
Grace had been flying on day two and held a share of the lead when he resumed on the 12th at five under for his round. He birdied the 14th to move ahead on his own but bogeys on the 17th and 18th saw him drop back.
"I played some good golf and then didn't get it going this morning," he said.
"I made a couple of good putts and then let it slip on 15 with a three-putt on the par five and then just a couple of bad swings to follow that."
Brandon Stone had matched Brooks with a 67 to sit at six under alongside Justin Walters and Ross McGowan who both shot rounds of 70. That group was then joined by Nino Bertasio who completed a second consecutive 69 as he picked up two shots in his last five holes.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout completed his round of 69 on Friday to sit at five under and Daniel Greene moved alongside him with a flawless 66. Jacques Kruyswijk was in the final group out on day two and had 13 holes to complete in his 70 which also got him to five under.
Two-time champion Retief Goosen was then in the group a further shot back alongside Clément Berardo, Dean Burmester, Laurie Canter, Ruan de Smidt, amateur Cameron Moralee, Michael G Palmer, Matthew Southgate and Mark Williams.
Defending champion Andy Sullivan shot a disappointing 75 on Thursday and followed that with a level par 72 as he missed the cut by a single shot along with tournament host Ernie Els who fired rounds of 73-74.
