Grange Golf Club’s Chris Brown and Anthony Murdaca flew the flag for South Australia on the opening day of the 2014 Australian Amateur Championships being hosted at their home course in Adelaide.

Brown shot a two under 70 and Murdaca one under 71 to be in the top dozen of 216 players competing in qualifying rounds for a spot in the championship rounds.

The leading 64 players after today’s second qualifying round progress to elimination match play.

Another 72 players lined up for the Australian Women’s Amateur Championship, with the leading 32 players progressing to elimination match play.

The finals will be played at Grange on Sunday.

Adelaide’s heat wave conditions saw play suspended late Tuesday afternoon with a number of players still to finish their first qualifying rounds.

View live scores here for men’s and women’s.

Ona day where the mercury topped 45 degrees, play was first suspended for 40 minutes mid-afternoon as heavy storm clouds and lightning moved into the area.

With the storm front clearing, players returned to their positions at 4.25pm local time. Play was suspended for the day at 5.45pm local time as a second storm front approached the courses.

In the completed opening rounds of the men’s championship, Kazuki Higa (JPN) is in a tie for the lead with Geoff Drakeford (VIC) and Dale Brandt-Richards (NSW) with the trio shooting 4-under par 68s.   Todd Sinnott (VIC) and Denzel Ieremia (NZL) are further shot back after 3-under par 69s.

In the completed opening rounds of the women’s championship, So-Young Lee (KOR) leads following her 3-under par 69.

World Number 2 amateur Su-Hyun Oh (VIC) finished with a 2-under par 70 to be in second place.

Grange Golf Club member Cassidy Evreniadis (SA) finished with an even par 72.

The incomplete first rounds started this morning at 6.30am.