Graeme Storm continued to make the most of his European Tour reprieve as he fired a course-record equalling 63 to set the clubhouse target on day two of the BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni.
The Englishman agonisingly missed out on retaining his playing privileges by just 100 euros last season but was then handed a second chance when Patrick Reed missed the Final Series and did not make his requirement of events.
A tie for fourth at the Alfred Dunhill Championship was an excellent start to the season and he continued his fine form in South Africa to get to 12 under and open up a two-shot lead over Jbe Kruger and Peter Uihlein at Glendower Golf Club.
Storm clearly has an affinity with this part of the world, with his career-low score of 62 coming nearby in the 2013 Joburg Open.
It was a morning of low scoring in Gauteng, with American Uihlein posting a 64 and Jaco Van Zyl signing for a 65 that included a hole-in-one on the 17th.
English duo Laurie Canter and Jordan L Smith, and South African Keith Horne were all at nine under, one shot clear of Van Zyl.
Storm got off to a flying start with birdies on the tenth, 11th and 12th and when he holed a lengthy putt on the 18th, he had a share of the lead for the first time.
It was nip and tuck at the top with Storm, playing partner Kruger, Smith and Horne all sharing the lead at one point but Storm was relentless, birdieing the first and third and when Kruger dropped a shot on the fourth, the door was open.
Storm barged through it, putting his approach to the fifth inside six feet and then holing a curling 20-footer on the next before making another gain on the eighth.
Kruger had turned in 33 with birdies on the 12th, 14th and 18th but was level par for his next seven holes as those around him were picking up shots before an eagle on the eighth got him into double figures.
Uihlein was one of those players on a run and after turning in 34 he made three birdies in a row from the second and then finished with another trio as he continues to find his form again after last season's wrist injury.
Canter caught fire on the back nine after playing his first ten holes in level par. He birdied the 11th and 12th and then followed an eagle at the 15th with another birdie on the next before making a closing gain.
Last season's Challenge Tour number one Smith followed his opening 67 with a 68, turning in 35 and then finishing his round with two birdies.
Horne entered the day with a share of the overnight lead and when he turned in 35 and birdied the first, he was still there. A run of six pars stalled his progress but a birdie on the eighth saw him sign for a 69.
Van Zyl won a BMW i8 as he made the second hole-in one of the 2017 season on the 17th.
The home favourite holed a four iron from 223 yards to join Jarrod Lyle in the 2017 ace club after the Australian made the first of the season at the Australian PGA Championship.
Van Zyl's shot was always bang on line and took two hops before rolling into the cup.
He had been one under for his round stood on the 17th tee and he added birdies on the first, second, eighth and ninth to move up the leaderboard.
England's Oliver Fisher was then seven under after a 69, a shot clear of South African Shaun Norris who fired the same score.
