Defending champion Tim Clark kept a firm a grip on his South African Open crown with a second-round 67 on Friday.

The 27-year-old South African fired four birdies and an eagle to end on 10-under-par - three strokes clear of the field.

Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Scotland's Andrew Coltart were in joint second place on seven-under 137.

R2 LEADERBOARD

-10 Tim Clark -7 Peter Lawrie -7 Andrew Coltart -6 Nick Dougherty -6 Gary Murphy -5 James Kingston -5 Bobby Lincoln -5 Jean Hugo -5 Simon Hurd

Collated scores

Both shot three-under 69s on a day when the conditions were far easier owing to the lack of wind.

Three players were a shot further back at six-under 138, including Englishman Nick Dougherty who shot 66 - the joint lowest round of the day.

Clark said: "The way I'm playing I'm eliminating mistakes and I'm pretty comfortable.

"I made a few more putts today than I did yesterday, but I struggled coming in a bit and had to scramble with a bogey at the par-five 16th.

"But after two rounds to have just one bogey makes me happy."

England's Lee Westwood, the former European number one, suffered another agonising day in the muggy heat.

He carded a 77 for an eight-over-par aggregate 152 that left him well short of making the halfway cut.

His compatriot Justin Rose enjoyed a better day, though, putting himself back into contention with a three-under 69 following his opening 72.

First-round leader Jean Hugo of South Africa carded a one over 73 to drop to five under 139.