Nedbank Golf Challenge: Alex Noren leads at halfway stage at Sun City

Victory would put Noren into the world's top 10 for the first time

Sweden's Alex Noren leads at the Nedback Golf Challenge after taking a two-shot lead over England's Chris Wood at the halfway stage.

Noren, 34, is eight under par at Sun City, with Wood, Fabrizio Zanotti, George Coetzee, Louis Oosthuizen and Jaco van Zyl all tied for second.

Zanotti leapt up the leaderboard after recording the first hole-in-one in the tournament's 35-year history.

The Paraguayan bogeyed the last two holes to finish with a round of 68.

"It was a great start, I couldn't believe it," said Zanotti, who holed out from 210 yards with a seven iron on the par-three fourth.

"It sounded strange when the tournament people told me I was the first to do it, but lucky for me that I'm the first one.

"I fought hard all day long and I'm in a very good position for the weekend."

It was Oosthuizen's flawless 66 which was the lowest score of a second round delayed by an hour and 42 minutes due to the threat of lightning, which meant play ended in near-darkness.

But Noren did enough to take the outright lead and victory in South Africa would be his fourth European Tour title of the season.

A win on Sunday could take Noren to within 500,000 points of Race to Dubai leader and fellow Swede Henrik Stenson, who is seven shots off the lead after struggling to a two-over-par 74 in his second round.

It would also take the Swede into the world's top 10 for the first time, having been ranked 110th in May before winning the Scottish Open, European Masters and British Masters.

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