Wilco Nienaber can open his shoulders on soft layout and boss group again

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 10am Friday

Best bets

Wilco Nienaber to win 10.30am threeball
1pt 5-4 Betfred

Preview

Thunder brought play to a close prematurely on day one of the Joburg Open, the competitors rushing to the clubhouse as Houghton Golf Club shook, so the tournament will be slightly behind schedule going into Friday.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout remains the favourite, shortening from 7-1 to 6-1 after covering his opening 16 holes in three under par. With two par-fours left to play in round one, before a morning tee-time for round two, Bezuidenhout will expect to progress forward from a share of 18th place.

Dan Bradbury, a 225-1 chance, set the early pace with a 63. Defending champion Thriston Lawrence has been cut from 14-1 to 13-2 after carding a five-under-par morning 66. Round one will resume at 6.45am local time (4.45am UK and Ireland), with round two starting 30 minutes later.

Second-round threeball punters are pointed towards Wilco Nienaber, who will appreciate the softening of the track providing by the thunderstorms. Nienaber made seven birdies in an impressive start to the tournament and can boss Deon Germishuys and Santiago Tarrio for the second day running.

Nienaber defeated both his playing partners by four shots in round one and the South African powerhouse at odds-against to repeat the dose is difficult to resist.

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