England's Robert Rock shot a 2-under 70 in windy conditions Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, Alex Haindl and Ulrich van den Berg in the South African Open.
The Englishman had five birdies and three bogeys on the Pearl Valley Golf Estates course in the event sanctioned by the Sunshine and European tours.
"It was rewarding and punishing out there," Rock said. "But I'm not bothered by the wind. You have to accept that you're not going to get it as close to the hole as you normally would. This is a week for chipping and putting."
Ernie Els, the South African star who blew a two-stroke lead with a triple bogey on the final hole of the Alfred Dunhill Championship last week at Leopard Creek, opened with a 77. Darren Clarke shot a 72, Retief Goosen had a 74, and Greg Norman a 75.
Defending champion Trevor Immelman pulled out of the tournament after playing just two holes because of a rib injury. He's expected to need surgery.
"I was hoping to play through the pain and continue the tournament, but the pain intensified to the degree that I was struggling to breathe and also to swing," Immelman said in a statement.
Rock bogeyed his first hole of the day, but he had a pair of birdies on the third and fifth holes before dropping shots on Nos. 7 and 8. On the back nine, he had three more birdies.
Els was penalized a stroke for not declaring he was playing a provisional ball after assuming he had gone out of bounds on the 16th hole. He eventually carded a double bogey. Els had another double bogey on No. 17. He bogeyed the fourth, 11th, 12th and 14th holes and had three birdies.
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