Scott Jamieson loses ground with a 71 in South Africa

Stone the crows! Brandon leads Alfred 



Dunhill Championship by one stroke 


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Home hope Brandon Stone will take a one-stroke

lead into the weekend at the Alfred Dunhill 

Championship after finishing his second round with a 

brilliant eagle at Malelane, South Africa.

The 23 year old was a single stroke behind early clubhouse leader Charl Schwartzel as he stood at the 18th tee, but after sending his approach to within ten feet of the hole, Stone rolled in his eagle putt to sign for a 66 and move to 11 under.

Defending champion Schwartzel and Englishman Chris Hanson were in a tie for second on ten under, with Keith Horne and George Coetzee another shot back.
Scotland's Scott Jamieson dropped back to   a share of 14th place after a 71 for 138. He started with a double bogey 6 at the first but did birdie the second, sixth, seventh, 13th and 14th in halves of 35 and 36. He also had bogeys at the ninth and 16th.

Stone, who began the day one shot off the overnight lead after Thursday's 67, opened his round with back-to-back birdies on Friday.

The 2016 BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni champion dropped his first shot of the day at the fourth but bounced back with a birdie at the sixth.

Shortly after receiving treatment for a back injury, Stone rolled in his 12 foot birdie putt from the fringe of the tenth green before making another gain at the 12th.

Stone dropped his second shot of the day at the 13th but moved back to nine under with a birdie at the long 15th.

And when he closed his round with an eagle, Stone jumped to the top of the pile.

Stone said: "I woke up this morning and the back was feeling a little bit sore, and then on the range it didn’t really feel too great either.

"During the course of the day it progressively got worse and then I had to hit one out of the deep jungle on the right of number eight and really tweaked it.

"I got some really good physio with my trainer on the ninth. I got the back sorted for a few holes there and it held its nerve for the back nine"I was swinging with a little bit of pain on the back and still hit some spectacular shots. I missed a few opportunities here and there but I also made some great putts again, so it could have been lower, it could have been higher, you don’t really know but I’m very happy with the 66."

Stone is looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Schwartzel, who has won this event four times, this weekend.

He added: "He (Schwartzel) seems to like this place so hopefully we get drawn together tomorrow and hopefully we can have a good weekend of competition against each other."

Starting his second round at the tenth tee, overnight co-leader Schwartzel made consecutive gains at the 12th and 13th to take the outright lead.

After finishing his front nine with a birdie at the long 18th, the 32 year old picked up another shot at the first.

He then holed his monster birdie putt at the fourth to get to 11 under before rolling in from 20 feet for another gain at the next.

But Schwartzel carded a double bogey at the seventh - his first blip of the tournament so far - to slip back to ten under, before safely parring his final two holes.

"Overall I think I played well," said Schwartzel. "I gave myself a fair amount of chances and made some nice bonus putts.

"The stroke’s feeling good, which makes me very comfortable.

Hanson covered the front nine in 31 shots after making birdies at the second, third, sixth and ninth.

He made further gains at the tenth, 11th and 14th before dropping his first shot of the day at the long 15th.

But the 31 year old bounced back with a birdie at the last to join Schwartzel in a share of second.

LEADING HALFWAY SCORES

par 144 (2x72)

133 Brandon Stone (S Africa) 67 66

134 Charl Schwartsel (S Africa) 66 68, Chris Hanson (England) 69 65

135 George Coetzee (S Africa) 70 65, Keith Horne (S Africa) 69 66

SELECTED SCORES

138 Scott Jamieson (Scotland) 67 71 (T14)

141 David Drysdale (Scotland) 70 71 (T32)

MISSED THE CUT

(143 and better qualified)

146 Scott Henry (Scotland) 672 74 (T95)

154 Darren Clarke (N Ireland) 78 76.