Rookie Pulkkanen leads at birdie-filled Joburg Open

The 27-year-old, who has just won his European Tour card, led from Shubhankar Sharma of India, who carded nine birdies in his first 15 holes and grabbed one more on the 17th for a blemish-free round of 61 and a 36-hole total of 130.

It was the best of a day in which both rain-softened layouts at Randpark Golf Club were dominated by the majority of the field.

Pulkkanen started with six birdies in a row on the Firethorn Course after firing an opening 65 on the Bushwillow Course on Thursday.

Another Finn, Miko Korhonen, and Johannesburg-born Erik van Rooyen were tied third on 12 under.

Briton Charlie Ford was on course to match Sharma's 10-under-par round as he hit two eagles and six birdies through the first 15 holes but two successive bogeys left him with a 64 and a share of eighth place, five shots behind the leader. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town,; Editing by Ed Osmond)