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40/141.00 Scott Jamieson has a superb record in South Africa
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50/151.00 Francesco Laporta is in excellent form
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200/1201.00 Dylan Mostert starts well at altitude
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Weather forecast for Thursday
Temperatures start in the mid-70s and peak in the mid-90s at 3pm so it's a pleasant day for golf.
As well as sunshine and a bit of cloud, there's wind too although the forecast suggests it's consistent throughout the day at 10mph. Gusts could be double that.
There doesn't appear to be any weather bias but it's never the worst idea to have at least one bet in either wave given how forecasts can change.
Back Scott Jamieson @ 40/141.00
Scott Jamieson did us a favour in this market when grabbing a piece of the first-round lead at last month's Qatar Masters.
He was 66/1 there and we don't get as good a price this time but, in a field short on quality, I'm happy to shove some of those winnings back on the table.
Quite simply, Jamieson loves playing in South Africa.
He won the 2012 Nelson Mandela Championship, followed that with a third and a second in his next two starts in the country and has thrown in numerous strong performances since.
Looking at his last dozen visits he's racked up a second, a third, a sixth and a seventh while his latest four finishes, all in 2022, are a quartet of top 20s.
Crucially, fast starts are part of that package and he's ended day one in the top 20 in five of his last six SA starts.
In the latest two he was eighth after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship and fourth following the opening lap of the South African Open thanks to a 66.
Jamieson's third place in Qatar, fuelled by that first-round lead, saved his Tour card so he should be in good spirits for this season opener, his first start since that big week in the desert.
The Scot, who can deal with any stronger winds or gusts, sets out early at 06.40 local time.
Back Francesco Laporta @ 50/151.00
Francesco Laporta will also have a spring in his step after winning a place back on the DP World Tour after finishing in the top 20 of the Challenge Tour's Road to Mallorca.
The Italian ended that campaign with finishes of fifth, third and seventh so will be one of the most in-form players teeing it up this week.
He's been a first-round leader before in South Africa (Dimension Data Pro-Am) while at this course last year he was ninth after 18 holes and 13th after 72 so likes the venue.
We're at altitude this week so Laporta's ninth place after day one of last year's Kenya Open at high up Muthaiga is further evidence that he can start strongly when the ball flies further.
A 16th up in the mountains at Crans in 2022 adds another tick so let's hope the 33-year-old, who won on the Challenge Tour in July, can get the birdies flying early.
He tees it up at 13.00.
Back Dylan Mostert @ 200/1201.00
I'm going to throw a bit of a dart with my final pick and chance local man Dylan Mostert.
This bet comes from scrolling through some first-round leaderboards in tournaments played at altitude and spotting that the South African's name pops up a couple of times.
First and foremost is his performance in this event last year. Mostert started off with a 67 to lie ninth at close of play on Thursday and went on to finish 18th.
Now let's travel north and note that he was the first-round leader in this year's Kenya Open at Muthaiga thanks to a sparkling 64.
Jumping back to South Africa and he again took day one honours at the Vodacom Origins - Final via a pacsetting 66.
More recently on home soil, he was fifth following the first 18 holes of last month's SunBet Challenge - Umhlali.
That marked a return to form after a somewhat miserable run on the Challenge Tour and back on home turf where he won the Nelson Mandela Bay Championship in February, Mostert is worth a dabble to cause a first-round surprise.
He's an afternoon starter at 12.40.
Now read Steve Rawlings on the Joburg Open.