Thriston Lawrence led at the end of day two at the Investec South African Open Championship after a fine putting display helped him back up his opening 64 with a 67.
Home favourite Lawrence was 13 under par, two strokes clear of compatriot and nearest challenger Ockie Strydom, after a day cut short by lightning in the area.
Strydom shot a course-record 63 and home amateur Christian Maas shared third place with France's Clément Sordet on ten under.
Lawrence's opening round on Thursday featured nine birdies and a single bogey and, starting on the back nine, he built on that with birdies at the 12th and 13th to turn in 35.
Dropped shots at the first and fourth threatened to derail his round, despite holing a long birdie putt at the second, but a fine eagle attempt at the fifth set up another birdie and got him back on track.
Further gains at the sixth, after another long putt, eighth and ninth wrapped up a five-under-par round.
Lawrence said: "I've just been giving myself a lot of chances out there. Lost a little bit of momentum on nine and ten but managed to make a few long putts at the end and shoot five under.
"My father gave me a tip last week - I was putting terrible the last three weeks - and I trusted him and credit to him, I think that helped, definitely."
Last season's Joburg Open winner added: "I had a life-changing win last year, it's a lot less pressure if you have a winner's (exemption) category.
"I'm very comfortable with my game at the moment and I'm just enjoying it."
Strydom twice recorded three successive birdies - from the fifth to the seventh for an outward nine of 31, having also picked up a shot at the second, and again from the 11th to the 13th.
A birdie-birdie finish brought him home in 32 and left him nine under par for his round and 11 under for the tournament.
He said: "It was plenty fun, it was pleasant to be out there hitting it as good as I can.
"It's one of those (events) that everyone wants to win but we'll just see what happens in the next two days."
Maas, starting on the back nine, carded four birdies in six holes from the 13th and though another at the second was given straight back, he responded with three in four holes for a seven-under-par 65.
The 19-year-old said: "Today was good, I didn't have the wobble I had yesterday with the four dropped shots in three holes and today I think I made the same amount of birdies.
"I'm loving it, it's great to be back in South Africa. Yesterday I was still a bit nervous but today was just a free flow and hopefully I can continue that.
"This is the biggest one in South Africa, to win the Freddie Tait Cup (as leading amateur) or even have a chance at the SA Open, that's the biggest honour you can probably have in South Africa."
Maas had company on ten under after Sordet eagled the 18th to add to four birdies.
Sweden's Jens Fahrbring was alone at nine under at the end of day two but was joined by MJ Daffue and Jeong weon Ko when the second round was completed on Saturday morning, with home player Wilco Nienaber, England's Ross Fisher and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui a shot further back.
Last week's Joburg Open winner Dan Bradbury carded a 71 after picking up two birdies in the morning to sit at five under, while defending champion Daniel van Tonder made the cut on the mark at two under.
