Johannesburg, April 4
Pranavi Urs was in fine form before the first round of the Joburg Ladies Open was suspended due to a flooded course here at Modderfontein Golf Club.
When play was suspended, eight groups were yet to finish 18 holes and will resume on Friday to complete their rounds. Pranavi, at 5-under through 13 holes, was one of them.
England’s Mimi Rhodes was able to finish 18 holes and continue her dream start in her rookie season, leading with a round of 65 (-8) on the par-73 course.
Pranavi, a former winner at her home tour, Women’s Pro Golf Tour, started with a bogey on the par-5 tenth but then recovered quickly with five birdies on the remaining eight holes on the back nine. She added one more on the second and was 5-under to be T-4 when play was suspended.
Rhodes led at 8-under with Casandra Alexander of South Africa second at 7-under and Singapore’s Shannon Tan (6-under) at third.
Apart from Pranavi, the other Indians had completed their round with Diksha Dagar (71) at T-21 but Avani Prashanth and Tvesa Malik had a rough day with 4-over 77 each and were T-107th and will need a low second round to make the cut.
Rhodes, 23, who started on the 10th tee, started her round with a birdie, which set the tone for the rest of the day. Rhodes secured a bogey-free round, making back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13, followed by a further birdie on 16. The rookie then had a further birdie blitz on the front nine, with four more to finish the round eight-under par.