WATCH: Mongooses stop play at Sun City

Cape Town - The Nedbank Golf Challenge was briefly interrupted in round one by a pack of mongooses at the Gary Player Country Club on Thursday.

Players and spectators watched on as about 20 mongooses ran across the green to cross the other side of the course.

There was some panic, as they scurried across and headed towards Victor Dubuisson's in-play ball, but somehow did not seem to move it - much to the delight of Dubuisson and his playing partners, Lee Slattery and Johan Carlsson.

The Sun City Resort sits on the edge of the Pilanesberg National Park where some of the mongooses are believed to have come from.

This isn't the first time play at Sun City has been invaded by exotic animals, according to Sky Sports, in 2014 Luke Donald had to contend and avoid a rampaging baboon.

Tournament wise, England's Ross Fisher fired a four-under-par 68 for a share of the first-round lead in the $7m Nedbank Golf Challenge, with Filipe Aguilar of Chile and Korea’s Jeunghun Wang.

WATCH below the mongooses stopping play in Sun City:

About 20 mongoose invade the green...

But they know not to interfere with the ball. ???? https://t.co/EBdpVc803Z

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 10, 2016