Chris Hanson leading Yorkshire challenge in Johannesburg

Playing just the third European Tour event of his career, Rai fired seven birdies in a flawless round on the East Course, with Waring recording nine birdies and two bogeys.

That left the pair two shots behind clubhouse leader Paul Peterson, the left-handed American completing a brilliant 62 on the West before heavy rain, on an already-saturated course, forced play to be abandoned.

Just five shots back of those with completed rounds is Woodsome Hall’s Chris Hanson, who sat just inside the top 50 in the Race to Dubai rankings going into the event at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, which is being played on the venue’s East and West courses.

He shot a four-under-par 67 at the latter, four better than Malton’s Simon Dyson, who was playing the former.

Howley Hall’s Marcus Armitage had a level-par 71 at the West, Harrogate’s John Parry a one-over 73 at the East, and Hull’s Richard Finch was one under through nine holes on the West.

Hanson got to three under with his third birdie of the day at the 10th, but shed a shot at the 12th. His response was to birdie both 16 and 17.

Dyson got off to a fast start, birdieing two of his first three holes, but the momentum was halted with a bogey at four. He was level par for the back nine with birdie and a bogey.

Armitage had identical front and back nines, each containing one birdie and a bogey, while Parry stumbled to two over after three holes and had 14 pars on the remaining holes plus a birdie at the 17th.

Finch had four birdies in his nine holes, but gave back three of them including two at the par-3 fifth.

Rai missed out on earning full playing privileges via the Challenge Tour in 2016 by fewer than €3,000, and was only two shots away from gaining his card at the qualifying school.

The 21-year-old from Wolverhampton finished 45th in the Australian PGA Championship before Christmas and missed the cut in the World Super 6 in Perth last week, only arriving in South Africa on Monday.

“It’s my first week in South Africa and my first time on the course, but I played it Tuesday and played it Wednesday,” Rai said. “My game was pretty steady throughout, really. I drove it well, hit a few greens, made a few putts and also made a couple of up and downs when needed, so it was really solid throughout.”

Peterson, who won the Czech Masters last season, said: “It was fun out there. Making birdie on half the holes is never bad.”