Tough weather conditions have already made their mark on the NTT DATA Pro-Am, trimming the tournament down to a 54-hole sprint after relentless rain wiped out the opening round at Fancourt Golf Estate in George, South Africa.
Ireland’s six-man contingent - Conor Purcell, Max Kennedy, Gary Hurley, Liam Nolan, Rowan Lester, and Liam Grehan - will now have to make the most of a shortened event. The first round was officially cancelled after a six-hour delay, with flooding across all three courses - The Links, Montagu, and Outeniqua - leaving organizers no choice but to call it off before a single shot could be struck.
With the revised schedule in place, the field will now tackle the Outeniqua and Montagu courses over the first two rounds, before the final round shifts exclusively to Montagu. It’s a logistical shuffle, but one that sets the stage for a tighter, more intense competition.
Back home, there was some encouraging movement on the leaderboard. Tied for 43rd at three-under, an Irish player carded a steady round to stay in the mix. Elm Park’s Foster matched that mark, following up an opening 70 with a composed 71 that featured three birdies - a solid start that keeps him within striking distance.
With the weather throwing an early curveball in South Africa, the Irish squad will need to adjust quickly and bring their best over the next three rounds. In a condensed format like this, there’s little room for error - but also plenty of opportunity for someone to make a charge.