Johannesburg, Jan 18: Welshman Bradley Dredge moved closer to a maiden European Tour win when he took the lead at the halfway stage of the Dunhill Championship at the Houghton Golf Club on Friday (January 17). Dredge carded a second round 68 for a 36-hole score of 11-under par 133 in blistering Johannesburg heat. He leads the English pair of Mark Roe and Richard Bland by a stroke after they shot 67 and 65 respectively. Denmark's Anders Hansen and South Africa's Richard Sterne were a further stroke back at nine-under par 135. South Africa's Trevor Immelman, who won last week's South African Open, kept himself firmly in the hunt with a 67 to move to eight under. Dredge, 29, posted an opening round 65 for a share of the lead, but took the top spot alone after compatriot Stephen Dodd fell three shots off the pace with a 71 in the second round.

Defending champion Justin Rose ensured he comfortably made the cut with a five-under 67 to move to four under for the championship.

Roe, who turns 40 in February, was in good spirits after his second round of 67 in as many days.


Leading scores: (South African unless stated): 133 Bradley Dredge (Britain) 65 68 134 Richard Bland (Britain) 69 65, Mark Roe (Britain) 67 67 135 Anders Hansen (Denmark) 70 65, Richard Sterne 68 67 136 Nicolas Vanhootegem (Netherlands) 72 64, Bradford Vaughan 70 66, Doug McGuigan (Britain) 69 67, Stephen Dodd (Britain) 65 71, Mark Foster (Britain) 70 66, Trevor Immelman 69 67 137 Markus Brier (Austria) 69 68 138 Simon Dyson (Britain) 68 70, Ian Poulter (Britain) 70 68, Tim Clark 68 70, Iain Pyman (Britain) 71 67, Lee Westwood (Britain) 71 67, Hennie Otto 69 69, Jean Hugo 68 70 139 Mark Pilkington (Britain) 71 68, Justin Hobday 69 70, Scott Dunlap (U.S.) 67 72, Jean-Francois Remesy (France) 72 67, Chris Williams (Britain) 67 72, Scott Drummond (Britain) 68 70, Gary Murphy (Ireland) 71 67 140 Craig Lile 67 73, Peter Baker (Britain) 71 69, Tony Johnstone (Zimbabwe) 73 67, Justin Rose (Britain) 73 67, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 69 71, David Dixon (Britain) 75 65, Andrew Butterfield (Britain) 71 69, Callie Swart 66 74, Per Nyman (Sweden) 71 69


Bureau Report