South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout carded the lowest round of the week with a 65 to emerge as the nearest challenger to Martin Kaymer at the BMW International Open.
Bezuidenhout was one shot clear of Finnish playing partner Kim Koivu and Swede Sebastian Soderberg, but it was Kaymer who continued to dazzle the Bavarian faithful as he carded a 66 to take a two-shot lead.
Record crowds had followed the two-time Major Champion around Golfclub München Eichenried on day one and he continued to take a bumper following with him as he moved to 11 under.
Defending champion Matt Wallace was then part of a group of seven players four shots back.
Kaymer’s last European Tour victory came at the 2014 US Open Championship but the German is beginning to show signs of the form that made him a Race to Dubai Champion and World No 1.
Bezuidenhout – who made a birdie and a bogey as he finished his first round early in the morning – went birdie-bogey from the second but then made a gain on the sixth and added four in a row from the eighth to leap up the leaderboard.
Another birdie from 20 feet on the 13th handed him the solo lead and when he took advantage of the last from 12 feet, he was nine under.
Just three fellow Saffas will join Bezuidenhout in weekend play.
