Nedbank Golf Challenge second-round leaderboard: -12 L Westwood (Eng) -9 R Fisher (Eng) -6 P Harrington (Ire), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spn), E Molinari (Ita) -5 E Els (SA)

Westwood's brilliant form shows no signs of abating

Lee Westwood fired an excellent eight-under-par 64 to open up a three-shot lead after the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.

The world number one enjoyed a bogey-free day that featured eight birdies to lead the 12-man field on 12 under par.

Westwood's fellow Ryder Cup winner Ross Fisher was alone in second.

And three more European stars - Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Edoardo Molinari - were tied for third on six under totals in Sun City.

Dubliner Harrington had led by a shot overnight but could only manage a single birdie on his way to a 72.

In contrast, Westwood, who had opened with a 68 on Thursday, was once again in the scintillating form that has resulted in him overtaking Tiger Woods as golf's top-ranked player.

606: DEBATE It's ridiculous that anyone is getting any points for these absurd "showcase" tournaments. It's like a 5-a-side match between Man Utd and Arsenal counting towards the Premier League super_realist

Englishman Westwood had picked up four shots on his outward nine on Friday and did the same on his way back to the clubhouse at the Gary Player Country Club to miss out on the course record, shared by Ernie Els, Henrik Stenson and Nick Watney, by a stroke.

"I played with Henrik when he shot 63 [in 2008] so I was well aware of what the course record was," said Westwood, who admitted earlier this week he is still troubled by his long-standing calf injury.

"I haven't played a lot recently so I still feel a little bit rusty," added Westwood. "But I didn't today. Today it was much more like me, getting the most out of the round. I seem to have got into the swing of things now. It was a good day."

Westwood's surge up the leaderboard was also well-timed with Woods leading after the first 18 holes of the Chevron World Challenge.

Victory in California would propel American Woods back to top spot in the rankings if Westwood fails to grab a top-two finish this week - although that change of guard would only be temporary as the Worksop man would return to the summit in January no matter what happens this week because of the machinations of the ranking system.

Els, who beat Westwood in a play-off in the 2000 edition of this tournament, was the best-placed player of the home hopes, alone in sixth on five under after a 68.

Els's compatriot Tim Clark matched Italian Molinari for the second-best score of the day - a 67 - to lie another stroke back, tied for seventh with Australian Robert Allenby.

South African Retief Goosen, Anders Hansen of Denmark and England's Justin Rose, who fired a 70, were all two under, while another South African Louis Oosthuizen brought up the rear on level par.

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