Branden Grace was only the second hottest player on the course on Friday at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Malelane, South Africa, but that was plenty to extend his lead in the tournament to 5 strokes over two days.
Grace followed up his opening-round 62 with a 6-under 66 to drop to 16-under for the tournament. He finally recorded his first bogey of the tournament, coming on No. 5, but had six birdies in his final 12 holes to more than balance it out.
His closest pursuer is Italy’s Francesco Molinari, who moved up six spots on the leaderboard with a 7-under 65, the best score of the day. Molinari was 7-under through 13 thanks to an eagle 3 on the 552-yard No. 13, but a late bogey prevented him from getting any closer.
Only one other player, South Africa’s Tijaart Van Der Walt, is at least 10 strokes under par. His second straight 67 put him at 10-under for the tournament, one stroke behind Molinari.
Last week’s winner, Danny Willett, the de facto leader in the first Race to Dubai standings, is one of three players tied for fourth at 9-under.
Two-time defending champion Charl Schwartzel shot a 70 to fall 14 strokes off the lead and is tied for 22nd at 5-under.
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