Houghton have excelled themselves again as host of the Joburg Open. The course is in magnificent tournament condition, playing firmly and fairways running for the DP World Tour pros. Greens close to perfection in pace, bounce and roll. The maintenance team deserve every credit for getting the course this good in early summer, with little rain and plenty of hot days. This is possibly the first Joburg Open not to have been disrupted by weather delays over the four days. Houghton was par 71 for last year’s Joburg Open, playing 15 as a 490m par 4 instead of a 5, and this year par 70 with now the third (downhill like No 15) reduced to a 485m par 4. There was an eagle 2 there from Nikhil Rama on day two on his way to a 62, another by Darren Fichardt on day 4. Houghton’s tenth (523m) is the only genuine par 5 on the course. We witnessed a 390m drive from Thriston Lawrence on 15.
