South Africa’s flag was flying highest at the Shot Clock Masters with Justin Walters into the clubhouse as co-leader after a 68 on Thursday.
A double drop at the 9th prevented Walters from escaping the ever-growing chasing pack as he headed out in -1 at the Diamond Country Club. That mistake was corrected with his third and fourth birdies of the day at the 11th and 13th holes before his lone bogey of the day at the 14th.
Unable to take advantage of the par-five 15th, Walters eagled the second of the long holes, which are played back-to-back on the inward nine, before a string of pars ensured a solid start.
The innovative new format is a 72-hole strokeplay event but with a twist: every player is on the clock for every shot. The players have a 50-second allowance for a first to play approach shot (including a par-three tee shot), chip or putt and a 40-second allowance for a tee shot on a par four or par five, or second or third to play approach shot, chip or putt.
Failure to make your shot in the allotted time leads to a one-shot penalty on the hole in question but players are allowed two 40-second time-extensions in any one round.
No time penalties at all had to be recorded in the early stages on Thursday but England’s Ryan Evans did use one of his extensions on the 7th, while American Chase Koepka hit one of his shots just as the clock hit zero.
