PAARL, South Africa, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Pablo Martin, who won last week's European PGA Tour tournament, owns a 2-stroke lead halfway through the South African Open Championship.
Martin won the Alfred Dunhill Championship last Sunday for his first title as a professional. His 4-under-par 68 Friday, which included a double bogey at No. 17, put him at 11-under 133 after 36 holes.
Anders Hanson is in second place at 9-under while third place is held by Alejandro Canizares at 8-under and in fourth place is Louis Oosthuizen at 7-under. First-round leader Martin Erlandsson shot 2-over-par 74 Friday and is among four players tied for fifth at 6-under-par.
Martin opened his round with a birdie at the 10th hole and improved his score with birdies at Nos. 12 and 16 before the double bogey 6 at the 427-yard 17th hole. He came back with a birdie at No. 18.
He had a bogey on the Pearl Valley Golf Estates first hole but ran off consecutive birdies on Nos. 2-5 to get to 4-under for the day.
Hansen also had a double bogey in his round, carding a 6 on the first hole. He had a bogey on that hole in Thursday's first round.
