R2 LEADERBOARD SA unless stated -8 R Fisher (Eng) -3 R Goosen -2 J Kingston, C Schwartzel, L Loxton Selected others: Level T Clark, E Els +3 J Rose (Eng)

The ex-England amateur international led with defending champion Tim Clark after the first day at Fancourt.

He shot a 70 on Friday after a course record-equalling 68 in the first round, while Clark stumbled to a 78 on the demanding Links course.

South Africa's Retief Goosen is lurking five shots off the pace but still well in contention after a second-round 70.

Fisher, 25, raced to the turn in 32 with birdies at the second, fifth, sixth and seventh.

It looked as though his charge was coming to an abrupt end when bogeyed the 11th and double-bogeyed the next after finding water with his approach.

But birdies on the 14th and 17th steadied the ship, and another at the last sealed another good day on the demanding Links course.

"I obviously wasn't happy with that double bogey on the 12th, but I made my mistake then quickly corrected things," said Fisher, who led after three rounds of the recent Volvo China Open before finishing fourth.

He was happier than Goosen, who admitted: "I'm grinding, that's for sure. Every shot is hard work at the moment."

Goosen also criticised the course set-up, describing the pin placing on the second hole as "ridiculous" and the bunkers as "horrendous".

"The felt under the sand was showing in some of them, and you often can't really get the ball anywhere or you have to chip out sideways, like I did on 16."