CAPE TOWN – Peter Karmis backed up his opening 63 with a flawless six-under 66 second round at the Cape Town Open on Friday to usurp JP Strydom from the summit of the leaderboard on 15-under for a two-stroke lead.

Karmis, a runner-up at last season’s event held at King David Mowbray, due to the water challenges faced at Royal Cape , opened his second round with back-to-back birdies to set the tone.

Those were followed by another birdie on the fifth after he’d picked up pars on the third and fourth holes respectively.

He held things steady on the final four holes of his front nine, making three straight pars before making further gains on the ninth to turn in 32.

“Today was a lot more difficult than yesterday,” Karmis noted after his round.

“It started pretty well, because there was no wind. But then the wind came up and made it tricky.

“And I think I just got used to having no wind, so I struggled to choose the right bat and the right lines and those sorts of things.”

He managed himself well, however, despite the wind and after the two pars he made on the 10th and 11th holes, played the 12th expertly to pick up a birdie there.

He did not make another birdie until the last hole, and was happy to take home a blemish-free 66.

“I’m very pleased,” he said. “I didn’t make a bogey in the last two days, so that’s good. I putted very well today, and I gave myself some chances for par from the brink and I’m very pleased.”

Taking up the second spot was Andrew Curlewis, whose second-round 64 took his total for the week to 13-under and two shots off Karmis’ lead.

The third position on the leaderboard is occupied by veteran Adilson da Silva, who carded the lowest score of the round, a 63, to total 10-under-par.

He shares that spot with overnight leader Strydom and Thriston Lawrence.

Hennie Otto , England ’s Richard Bland, Zander Lombard and Justin Walters share the sixth spot on nine-under for the week at Royal Cape .

Birdie on the first hole and @KarmisPeter gets to -10 for the week @royalcapegolf #CapeTownOpen #SunshineTour #ItBeginsHere #RAMCouriers#CapeTownEvents#ramhandtohand pic.twitter.com/sCvTFC0V6m

Leading Scores:

129 - Peter Karmis 63 66

131 - Andrew Curlewis 67 64

134 - Adilson da Silva 71 63, Jean-Paul Strydom 62 72, Thriston Lawrence  66 68

135 - Hennie Otto 71 64, Richard Bland 66 69, Zander Lombard  68 67, Justin Walters 66 69

136 - Jbe’ Kruger 69 67, Madalitso Muthiya 67 69, MJ Viljoen 66 70, Daniel van Tonder 66 70

African News Agency (ANA)