Justin Harding says getting course playable after heavy rain 'incredible' achievement

Justin Harding said it was "incredible" what the greenkeeping staff at Durban Country Club managed to achieve as the first round of the Investec South African Open Championship got under way on Thursday morning just a day after players were "almost swimming" on the fairways.

Heavy rainfall from Tuesday night led to areas of the course being submerged, with Wednesday’s pre-tournament Pro-Am called off, before a three-hour delay to the first round was announced.

Home favourite Harding was one of the players to walk the course on the eve of the tournament, with others being photographed wading through standing water on a fairway.

And the two-time DP World Tour winner was impressed the staff managed to get the course playable as early as 09:20 local time, given how wet the course had been a day earlier.

Harding said: "The ground staff have done a great job.

"I did a walk yesterday afternoon and, as you can see in the pictures, the guys were almost swimming.

"It's incredible what they've done, to have it being able to play as early as we did - I was thinking maybe later this afternoon or something like that.

"But they've done great. The greens are immaculate - you'll probably find a lot of guys are making putts out there because they are just pure."

Fellow South African Jayden Schaper echoed Harding's sentiments after making seven birdies and a single bogey in his 66.

He said: "Unreal. To be honest, I thought there was going to be another delay.

"I woke up this morning expecting a message on the phone announcing another hour or two-hour delay so to get the course out there playable...the greens are really pure considering how much rain came down."

Fredrik From, who shot a 65 on day one to share the early clubhouse lead with Sam Bairstow, was shocked to discover play would be possible on Thursday.

He said: "I couldn't believe it this morning when they didn't call it off, to be honest.

"They must have worked the whole night, pumping thousands of litres of water. So great job for that."