Shiv Kapur shoots 71 in rain-hit Mandela Championship

Indian golfer Shiv Kapur opened with a one-over 71 in the weather-affected first round of the Nelson Mandela Championship, presented by ISPA Handa, in Durban, on Wednesday.

A flawless eight-under 62 saw Daniel Brooks claim the lead after heavy rain disrupted the first round.

Play began seven hours later than planned on Wednesday after rain left many of the fairways waterlogged and as a result more than half the field could not complete their rounds.

The Englishman, who retained his European Tour card at Qualifying School last month after a disappointing rookie campaign in 2013, had four birdies in five holes around the turn to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

Kapur, who started from the tenth, had birdies at the 11th hole, first and fourth holes.

He bogeyed the 15th hole and ninth and closing hole, besides dropping two strokes when he double bogeyed the seventh hole at the Mount Edgecombe course.

The Nelson Mandela Championship is the fifth event on the 2014 European season, for which Kapur has already got a full card.

Leader Brooks had a host of French players in pursuit, with Francois Calmels second at seven under 63, while Romain Wattel and Edouard Dubois carded 64 each to be tied third. 

Image: Shiv Kapur

Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images