Lee Westwood's mind back on golf with flawless 64

LEE Westwood, the world No 1, produced a brilliant eight-under-par 64 to storm into the lead at the halfway stage of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City.

The Englishman began the competition with a four-under 68 on Thursday, but was flawless on day two on his way to collecting eight birdies in a bogey-free round to lead from fellow Ryder Cup winner Ross Fisher, who had a second-round 68 for nine- under overall.

Three more players in Colin Montgomerie's triumphant European team at Celtic Manor - Edoardo Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Padraig Harrington - were three strokes further back on six-under.

Italian Molinari, along with South Africa's Tim Clark, managed the second-best scores on day two, with their 67s at the Gary Player Country Club giving them hope for the weekend.

Ernie Els was all alone on five- under after shooting 68 yesterday, with Clark's effort seeing him climb to four-under, the same score as defending champion Robert Allenby after his second successive 70.

But the day undoubtedly belonged to Westwood - a player clearly on top of his game after surpassing Tiger Woods as world No 1 at the end of October.

The 37-year-old from Worksop began with successive pars, but three birdies in his next four holes and another one on the par-5 ninth helped him make the turn in 32.

He then picked up a shot on the 10th, before three more birdies in his last five holes helped him end in with a flourish.

"I haven't played a lot recently, so I still feel a bit rusty," Westwood said, "but today was great. It was about getting the most out of the round, unlike yesterday when I started with one over through six.

"That's just what I've been doing in the last few weeks because I haven't been competitive and haven't been playing competitive golf.

"I seem to have got into the smooth of things now, my mind is also on the right things and that was the result today."

Molinari, who was pleased with his effort after moving up alongside overnight leader Harrington, of Ireland, and Spaniard Jimenez, paid tribute to Westwood, saying: "He's the world No 1 and has been playing great golf the last two seasons.

"So I think he deserves the position that he is in right now."

The remainder of the 12-man field is made up of Retief Goosen, Anders Hansen (both 70 yesterday) and Justin Rose (72) - all on two-under overall - while Open champion Louis Oosthuizen brings up the rear after a disappointing 73.

In Sydney, Geoff Ogilvy shot a seven-under-par 65 at The Lakes course to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Australian Open.

Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open champion, had a 36-hole total of 11-under par 133. Australian Matt Jones shot 64 to sit one stroke behind Ogilvy, with first-round leader Matthew Griffin, also from Australia, another stroke back after a 70.

American Dudley Hart, making his first tournament start in 18 months following back surgery, shot 69 and was tied for fourth with Australians John Senden (71) and Paul Sheehan (67). Greg Norman and Fred Couples, the opposing Presidents Cup captains for next year at Royal Melbourne, had contrasting results. Norman, the International team captain, made the cut of one-over 145 after shooting a 69 and sitting at 143.

Couples, the US team captain, shot 74 and missed the cut by one stroke. He was joined by double major winner John Daly, who also was on 146 after a 77, and Scotland's Simon Yates, who finished second last after rounds of 74 and 78.