Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland brushed aside a back-nine double-bogey seven to birdie the last hole on Friday and take a one-stroke halfway lead in the Nedbank Golf Challenge. The gritty 2010 US Open champion carded a five-under-par 67 - the lowest second-round score at the 7162-metre Gary Player Country Club - in hot, partly cloudy conditions to lead by a single shot from four pursuers.
American Jason Dufner (68), Swede Robert Karlsson (69), German world number four Martin Kaymer (68) and English world number three Lee Westwood (70) share second place. Simon Dyson (70) of England and South Korean Kim Kyung-Tae (70) are two shots further back on 140 and very much in contention for the $1.25 million first prize in the annual 12-man invitation event.