• Volvo Golf Champions, Round Two

Grace four clear in bid for back-to-back wins

Branden Grace could be set for a second win in 2012 © Getty Images

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Leaderboard

Branden Grace continued a remarkable couple of weeks as he took control of the Volvo Golf Champions at the halfway stage.

Grace, victor at the Joburg Open last week, capitalised on an impressive start on the opening day to run away from the field on Friday, as he made eight birdies and dropped just a single shot on the way to an impressive round of 66.

That was enough to put him on 12-under for the tournament, giving him a great chance of claiming a second consecutive European Tour victory over the weekend.

Thomas Aiken is four shots adrift of his fellow South African, after a solid round of 70 that was only soured slightly by a bogey at the treacherous 18th.

Englishman Lee Slattery is pushing both home favourites hard, however, as he bounced back from a mediocre opening round 73 to card a 65 that thrust him into contention at eight-under. Slattery, in the field after winning last year's Madrid Masters, made ten birdies and just two bogeys as he found conditions in South Africa much more to his liking.

European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal is a shot further back at seven-under after a round of 68, narrowly ahead of a group of players at six-under including Alex Noren (68), Louis Oosthuizen (71) and Retief Goosen (68).

Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts proved just how difficult The Links at Fancourt layout can be if players get off line. Having dissected it with ease on the way to a first-round 64, Colsaerts found the course biting back on Friday - as he had to regroup after four bogeys on the front nine to eventually salvage a round of 76, leaving him on six-under for the tournament heading into the weekend.

Young Englishman Tom Lewis was another to find day two a bit harder, as he slipped back to four-under after a round of 74, alongside Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel, Padraig Harrington and Ernie Els.

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