Kingston braves conditions in SA
James Kingston leads the South Africa Airways Open at the halfway stage
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Englishman Robert Rock defied windy conditions to secure a one-shot lead at the end of the first round of the South African Airways Open in Paarl. |  |
Friday, 14, Dec 2007 09:34
Home favourite James Kingston survived the blustery conditions to lead the South Africa Airways Open by one stroke at the halfway stage.
Kingston, who lies 18th on the Order of Merit, carded a three-under round of 69 to lie on two under.
Welshman Kyron Sullivan, who carded 71, is tied with South African Andrew McLardy in second place on one under.
Just three players ended the day under par due to the high winds at the Pearl Valley course.
Former world number one Greg Norman eagled the 13th to lie in joint sixth position on one over, on the same day the Australian confirmed his engagement to former tennis player Chris Evert.
Irishman Darren Clarke joins Australian Norman on one over while Ernie Els carded 70, which included two bogeys and four birdies, to lie on three over.
Kingston fired two birdies along with an eagle on the par-five third to steal the show.
Welshman Sullivan, 31, was heading for a sensational second round before bogeying the 16th and 17th holes.
Meanwhile Norman, 52, blasted the organisers for changing the course after the first round.
"It's been two totally different courses, the course was more difficult yesterday," Norman said.
"They made a few adjustments to the tees and they did 100 per cent irrigation last night, so the greens, which they also did not cut, were softer and there was not as much release on the fairways.
"I believe that if you're going to be fair, you need to be consistent in setting up a golf course and I'd rather play two identical courses in the first two rounds because then you can get used to it."