Chinese Taipei’s Doris Chen holds the ABSA Ladies Invitational on-course lead on seven under par with one hole to play after Thursday’s opening round at Royal Johannesburg was cut short due to bad weather.

Chen, who is still a rookie on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, managed to complete 17 holes when play was abandoned due to lightning and heavy downpours in the area. Chen impressed with eight birdies and only one bogey during her first round.

When play was eventually called off, Chen held a one-stroke lead over Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, who managed to finish her round of 66, and South Africa’s Jordan Rothman, who is also through 17 holes.

Rothman started her round with an impressive eagle on the par-five first hole, but unfortunately gave one shot back with a bogey on the sixth hole before birdieing the eighth to turn in two under.

A rollercoaster back nine followed for Rothman, which included an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys in the space of eight holes.

Rothman is playing solid golf of late with a season’s best of joint third in last week’s Platinum Ladies Open.

Defending champion Thalia Martin from England was only able to play one hole of her first round before play was abandoned for the day.

Round one will resume at 07h00 on Friday, with the second round not starting before 11h00.