Robert Rock: Weather delays part of the scene

LIGHTNING has struck twice at the Joburg Open, and at exactly the same time.

Friday's second round was suspended at 1.37pm, exactly the same time as Thursday's first round, because of a thunderstorm. And after hours of waiting for a break in the weather, play was finally called off for the day, with a 6.45am restart on Saturday morning.

But as clubhouse leader Robert Rock put it: "Weather delays are part of the scene when you come here this time of the year. If you don't like that, it would be best not to come."

Rock was one of the few who made it into the clubhouse before play was suspended on Friday.

He returned to the course early on Friday morning to finish the final three holes of his first round, which he did with birdies at two of them for an impressive 65 on the East Course. Then, with just under an hour's break in between – enough time to have breakfast – he went into his second round, carding a 67 on the West Course to lead the tournament on 11 under.

"I'm a bit surprised. I didn't do too much practising over the holidays," he said.

South Africa's Jbe Kruger and Branden Grace also completed 36 holes before the suspension, and are one behind Rock. Kruger signed for a 67 on the East and then a 66, and is once again in contention. And the diminutive star from Bloemfontein admits he'd like to finally cash in on his consistency over the past few years.

"To be honest, I've felt like a win is close for the past three years now. But I'm gaining experience and becoming a better golfer. I'm learning not to get ahead of myself and take it one shot at a time. I'm learning to hang in there. It doesn't matter what you shoot in the first round – you have to keep it together in the final two rounds."

With rounds of 67 on the East and 66 on the West, Grace is also learning how to contend. "My game is there. It's just the difference between a couple of good bounces, a few putts going in, and you never know what happens. I feel I'm close to playing great golf. I feel I'm contending a lot more. I've just got to pull it off now."

Retief Goosen won't have the luxury of a lie-in on Saturday as he returns to resume his second round. He's currently seven under for the tournament, having played six holes of his second round on the East.

And Charl Schwartzel has been feeling as gloomy as the weather here. He battled his way to a 72 on the East Course and then added a 68 on the West to stand on three under – right where the halfway cut currently lies.

"Basically, my putting has let me down," he said. "That doesn't help on a course where you're supposed to be making birdies. It's not my best effort. But two years ago I shot 63 on the East in the third round – if I can do that again then at least I'll be in with a chance on Sunday."

Lightning has already struck twice; so in the case of Schwartzel, why not a third time.