Branden Grace builds big lead at Alfred Dunhill Championship

South African Branden Grace continued his domination of the Leopard Creek Country Club course to establish a healthy lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Friday.

After an opening round 62, Grace sunk seven more birdies, his only blemish a dropped shot on the par-three fifth hole, to card a six-under-par 66 and open a five-shot advantage over Italian Francesco Molinari.

Grace is on 16 under par for the tournament and feeling very comfortable with his game.

“The ball striking wasn’t as good as yesterday but I kept it going. There was a little bit of a slip there due to a lack of concentration but it happens,” Grace told reporters.

“I’ve been hitting it good and kept on hitting good putts out there.”

Molinari produced the best round of the day with six birdies, an eagle at the par-five 13th and a single dropped shot for a 65 to go with his opening 68.

Briton Danny Willett, last weekend's Nedbank Challenge winner, was two shots back on nine under par following an erratic 69.

Home favourite Charl Schwartzel, who has won the event in the last two years, looks out of contention after he could only manage a 70 to fall 11 shots behind Grace.

Waterford's Kevin Phelan made it through to the weekend on the cut mark of one under after carding a one-under 71.

Michael Hoey and Damien McGrane both carded 73s to finish a shot outside the cut, with McGrane's double-bogey on the short 1th followed by a bogey on the 17th ruining his chances.

Peter Lawrie never recovered from a double-bogey six on the first hole as he carded a six-over 78 to fall back to two over after an opening 68.