GEORGE (South Africa), Dec 17: Retief Goosen made a move but it was English newcomer Ross Fisher who found himself leading a tournament at the halfway mark for the second time in three weeks in the South African Airways Open on Friday.

Fisher, who has only been on the European Tour for a little over a month, added a 70 to his opening 68 for an impressive eight-under-par 138 through 36 holes on the tough, intimidating par-73 Links at Fancourt.

The 25-year-old now holds a five-stroke lead in a tournament which includes Goosen and Ernie Els, ranked fourth and fifth in the world respectively.

Goosen is second on 143 following a 70 with fellow South Africans Charl Schwartzel (74), James Kingston (73) and Leonard Loxton (71) bracketed on 144 in third place.

Els (70) is on 146 sharing ninth place with a group including Frenchman Gregory Havret (74), joint overnight leader Tim Clark of South Africa who crashed to a 78 after his opening 68, Italy’s Francesco Molinari (75), and England’s David Lynn (74).

Leading second round scores

138 - Ross Fisher 68-70

143 - Retief Goosen 73-70

144 - Charl Schwartzel 70-74, Leonard Loxton 73-71, James Kingston 71-73

145 - John Bele 72-73, Keith Horne 73-72, Mattias Eliasson 70-75

146 - Ernie Els 76-70, David Lynn 72-74, Henrik Nystrom 69-77, Tim Clark 68-78, Gregory Havret 72-74, Francesco Molinari 71-75

147 - Darren Fichardt 78-69, Phillip Archer 74-73, Jean-Francois Remesy 75-72, Oliver Whiteley 72-75, Tjaart van der Walt 76-71, Jean Hugo 73-74

148 - Louis Oosthuizen 76-72, Leif Westerberg 76-72, Ian Hutchings 74-74, Johan Edfors 73-75, Richard Sterne 75-73.—Agencies