JOHANNESBURG, January 12, 2012 (AFP) - Lightweights Damien McGrane of Ireland and Jamie Elson of England stole the show from reigning US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa Thursday in a storm-hit Joburg Open first round.
McGrane and Elson -- ranked 250 and 395 respectively in the world -- were the clubhouse leaders after carding eight-under-par 63s on the easier west course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
They are one stroke ahead of South Africans Desvonde Botes and Peter Karmis and Reinier Saxton from the Netherlands in the second event of the 2012 European Tour.
Botes returned a 65 over the tougher par-72 east course and Karmis and Saxton 64s over the west course in one of only three tournaments on the circuit that uses more than one course.
Scots David Drysdale and George Murray, South Africans George Coetzee and Shaun Norris, Swede Joel Sjoholm and Spaniard Carlos Del Moral are a shot further back after 65s over the west layout.
Schwartzel, ranked nine in the world and seeking to match Ernie Els, Sir Nick Falso, Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods and Ian Woosnam by winning a European Tour event three consecutive times, was level par after 15 holes when play stopped.
Electric storms halted golf for more than four hours at both courses in a leafy northern Johannesburg suburb, leaving many of the 210-strong field to complete their first rounds early Friday.
"I played beautifully from start to finish and this course does give up opportunities. The perfect greens were offering birdie chances and I holed some nice putts," said diminutive 40-year-old McGrane.
Seeking a second European Tour title after winning the 2008 China Open, the Irishman claimed seven birdies and chipped in for an eagle at 15 before dropping his only shot of the round at the final hole.
Elson started spectacularly with four consecutive birdies and was six-under by the turn before bogeying 10 and 11, but that damage was undone with another four birdies.
"I had a good time here last year, shooting a six-under second round over the tougher course, so if I can do that again it would be nice," said 30-year-old Elson.
A seven-time European Tour winner, Schwartzel lacked accuracy off the tee in a seesaw east-course round that included four birides and four bogeys, leaving him with plenty to do while fondly recalling a second-round 61 last year.
Leading and selected scores Thursday after storm-delayed first round of Joburg Open at par-71 west course and par-72 east course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club (RSA unless noted):
-8 - Damien McGrane (IRL), Jamie Elson (ENG)
-7 - Desvonde Botes, Reinier Saxton (NED), Peter Karmis
-6 - Joel Sjoholm (SWE), David Drysdale (SCO), George Coetzee, George Murray (SCO), Carlos Del Moral (ESP), Shaun Norris
-5 - Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Retief Goosen, Peter Hedblom (SWE), Warren Abery, Richard Finch (ENG), Marc Warren (SCO), Wallie Coetsee, Brandon Pieters, Robert Rock (ENG) 15 holes, Andy Sullivan 15
Selected
-4 - Craig Lee (SCO) 9
-3 - Thomas Aiken
-2 - Danny Willett (ENG), Magnus Carlsson (SWE)
-1 - Ariel Canete (ARG), Markus Brier (AUT)
Par - Alvaro Velasco (ESP), Richard Sterne 15, Charl Schwartzel 15, Garth Mulroy 15, Tjaart van der Walt 12, Steven O'Hara (SCO) 12, Chris Wood (ENG) 12
+2 - Rich Beem (USA) 15
+3 - David Howell (ENG) 15