McGinley back in the hunt after a hole-in-one

Paul McGinley needed only his tee-shot to negotiate the seventh hole in the first round of the South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club in Cape Province yesterday, and that hole-in-one - the fourth of his professional career - helped him to jump into contention in the second event of the PGA European Tour's odyssey in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 32-year-old Dubliner's ace, at the 160-yard par three, was the most memorable moment in a two-under-par round of 69, which left the sole Irishman in the field just two shots adrift of a trio of pacesetters: Germany's Sven Struver, England's Ian Garbutt and South African-born American Ronnie McCann, who all shot rounds of 67.

If ever there was a day to catch a milk float to the office and get the work done before lunch, yesterday was it. In the morning the course here was a benign par 71. In the afternoon teddy bear turned into a grizzly.

Nick Faldo, on the tee at 7.10 a.m., shot a one-under 70 and said: "Par today is 68, there's no breeze, the greens are holding and it should be a piece of cake. I wouldn't be surprised if Ernie Els shoots 65."

Els was out at 11.50, got to the seventh at two under and at that stage Faldo's prediction was looking good. But then two things happened. First the wind, known as the Cape Doctor in these parts, got up. Then the mercury started rising as if someone had held a cigarette lighter under the thermometer. It peaked at 34 celsius (93 F) and in unshaded areas it was closer to 40.

Els dropped three shots in four holes either side of the turn as he began to find the punishing rough on a regular basis and, after getting his round back on track with birdies at the last two par fives, he dropped another shot at the last to finish level par. Looking like a very large lobster thermidor, Els was amused by Faldo's presumption.

"I'd like to see what he says tomorrow afternoon," he said. "It's a different golf course in the afternoon and although the Cape weather is so unpredictable that it might rain tomorrow, I think if it stays the same you won't see a very low score winning this week."

Ian Woosnam played in the same three-ball as Els and was happy to be carried along in the wake after a festive season spent avoiding golf. He shot a one-over-par 72.