ERNIE ELS LEADS BY TWO SHOTS, RICHIE RAMSAY MISSES CUT

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Ernie Els will take a two-shot lead into the final day of the South African Open Championship after a second successive 65 put him in command in Durban.
The South African, pictured, did not drop a shot all day to finish the first 36 holes on 14 under par 130 and in pole position to win the title for a fifth time.
Fellow home favourite and former champion Retief Goosen is Els' closest challenger on 132 after adding a 68 to his opening 64.
French rookie pro Romain Wattel is a further shot back on 133 after a 66, sandwiched between two more South Africans, Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (67) and Charl Schwartzel (69) on 134.
With 36 holes scheduled for the final day after most of Thursday's play was abandoned due to persistent rain, the chasing pack still have plenty of time to overhaul World No 12 Els.
The field was cut to 50 instead of 65 ahead of 36 holes on Sunday, but Els is not concerned about the extra round.
"We use to do it when we were younger and when we were playing amateur golf," he said. "It wasn't a problem then so I don't think it will be a problem tomorrow.
"In fact, I like it because you stay in the game and you keep going. Sometimes when you play a round, you are going to sleep on it and now tomorrow you can just continue playing. I like that."
Speaking about his round, Els added: "It's never easy, but as I said yesterday, I felt really good.
"Again I feel like I'm hitting the ball quite nicely and that gives you some confidence on the tees.
"I don't want to look too far ahead. I'm quite patient this week, I'm playing within myself and I'd like to do that again tomorrow."
Teenager Wattel, who is playing his first European Tour event since turning professional after graduating through Qualifying School, was pleased with the way his first two rounds have gone.
"For the moment it's a nice position to be in," he said. "It's perfect and I couldn't have expected anything more than this. I played quite solid golf.
"It's really nice to see my name up there with such players. They've won Majors and are amongst the top players in the world, so to be up there with them is great."
With rain again forecast for tomorrow, Oosthuizen was hoping to at least play a further 18 holes to try to overhaul Els.
"I've been keeping track and hear there's rain," he said. "But hopefully it stays away and we can get at least another 18 in.
"I think everyone will be disappointed if we can't get 36 in."
Defending champion Richie Ramsay from Aberdeen missed the cut by four strokes after following up yesterday's 71 with a 74, while Spaniard Pablo Martin - who won last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship - also missed out after successive 71s left him two under and one outside the cut.
SCOTSWATCH. David Drysdale (138) and George Murray (141) are the only two Scots involved in Sunday's action. Drysdale has shot 67 and 71 so far to be sharing 22nd place.
Murray made it with nothing to spare in joint 50th place after a three-shot improvement for a 69 and a 141 tally. But Lloyd Saltman, because the cut mark was reduced, figured one shot on the wrong side of it with a pair of 71s for 142.
On the same non-qualifying mark as Richie Ramsay was Peter Whiteford with identical rounds of 71 and 74. They were joint 109th in the starting field.
Glasgow's Scott Jamieson finished joint 128th on 149 with scores of 74 and 75.