Local boy Murless leads Joburg Open at halfway point

South Africa's Mark Murless closed off his second round of 68 with an eagle-three at the 18th hole on Royal Johannesburg's East course on Friday to take the halfway lead on nine-under-par 133 in the Joburg Open.

Playing him Spain's 24-year-old Pablo Larrazabal needed a birdie to tie Murless at the top of the leaderboard, but his six-footer for a four slipped by the hole and he had to be satisfied with a par, also for a 68, and a 134 aggregate to be lying second.

Soccer-loving Larrazabal from Barcelona is playing full-time on the European Tour for the first time after earning his tour card at the 2008 Q-School held late last year.

highlight

A highlight of his round on Friday was an eagle-two at the East course's par-4 ninth hole where he holed his approach from the fairway.

This US$1.1 million tournament is the first to be held on the European Tour this year and three other South Africans -- Warren Abery after a 65, Charl Coetzee (67) and rookie Tyrone Ferreira, 20, (70) in his very first outing as a professional, are lying joint third on 135.

The tournament, with a starting field of 204, was played in almost continuous rain over both Royal Johannesburg's East and West courses, both par-71s, for the first two rounds.

But the final two rounds this weekend for the 65 players and ties who made the cut on a score of level-par 142 are over the longer and tougher East course.

contention

Tournament drawcard Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland opened with a disappointing 73 on the easier West course on Thursday, but on Friday produced a splendid seven-birdie 65 to move into contention on four-under-par 138.

"The difference was in the putting," Clarke said. "I got a putting lesson from Stuart Cage, a former tour player now working for our management group, before today's round and out on the course the putts started dropping."

The tournament is set for a grandstand finish with Swedes Joachim Backstrom and Magnus Carlsson and England's Iain Pyman just three off the pace on 136.

England's Gary Boyd -- helped by a hole-in-one on Friday on his way to a 69 -- rookie South African Louis Moolman and compatriot Andre Cruse next best on 138 and in striking distance of the lead.