Alfred Dunhill Championship 2026 flooding update: The tournament at Royal Johannesburg Club has been shortened to 54 holes due to severe rain and unplayable conditions.
In this video, we break down the dramatic events of Saturday when play was abandoned early after just a few holes. Tournament director David Williams explains the tough decision to suspend the third round amid heavy downpours and forecast thunderstorms.
Eugenio Chacarra leads at 15 under par, with Jayden Schaper two strokes back, and John Parry and Branden Grace tied for third at 12 under. Players like Pierre Viallaneix, Dean Burmester, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout made early moves with birdies.
The par-five sixth hole was even converted to a par-three to keep play going briefly. Restart is set for Sunday morning at 6:30 AM, aiming to wrap up by midday before more bad weather hits.
Stay tuned for live updates, leaderboards, and analysis on this DP World Tour event. Golf fans, what do you think of the weather’s impact on pro tournaments?
AlfredDunhillChampionship #GolfFlooding #EugenioChacarra
Golf’s unplayable conditions, a 54-hole battle in Johannesburg. The Alfred Dunnhill Championship, a tournament that promised a thrilling 72-hole battle, was abruptly cut short due to flooding, leaving golfers and fans alike disappointed. But here’s where it gets controversial. The decision to reduce the tournament to 54 holes has sparked debate among golf enthusiasts. While some argue that player safety and course conditions must take precedence, others believe it undermines the integrity of the sport. On Saturday, as the rain poured relentlessly, tournament officials made the call to abandon play. With the Royal Johannesburg club course becoming increasingly waterlogged, the decision was made to move tea times to the early morning, hoping to beat the forecast rain. And this is the part most people miss. The course’s lowerlying holes became unplayable, forcing officials to make a tough call. Tournament director David Williams explained, “We suspended twice this morning, and the course quickly became unplayable, especially on those lowerlying holes.” With the rain showing no signs of stopping, the decision was made to suspend the third round and restart the following day at 6:30 a.m. Williams added, “The players now know the tournament is over 54 holes. They can rest, practice, or do whatever they need to prepare for the final round. The overnight leaderboard led by Eugenio Shakara at 15 under par was yet to begin their third rounds when play was halted. Of those who started, the best score was nine under with players like Pierre Vanix, Samuel Simpson, and Dean Burmeister making early birdies. But the real challenge was the par five sixth hole which had to be transformed into a par three to allow play to continue. Williams described it as a problem hole all week saying it became obvious that this hole would stop play completely. So we created a temporary par three allowing us to finish the tournament. Shakara will resume with a two-stroke lead over Jaden Schaper with John Perry and Brandon Grace close behind. The question remains, will the reduced tournament format impact the outcome and the players strategies? What’s your take on this controversial decision? Do you think it was necessary to ensure a fair and safe competition, or does it diminish the sports prestige? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
