Stenson fights illness, weather to go clear at Nedbank Challenge

Despite being laid low by illness in the run-up to the event, Henrik Stenson will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the weather-interrupted Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City.

The Swede had all but ruled himself out of competing earlier in the week after spending three days in bed ill, but he recovered to shoot an opening 66 and built on that on Friday with a five-under-par 67 to go clear at the top of the leaderboard on 11 under.

After a delay of just over two hours due to heavy rain and lightning at the South African resort, Stenson returned to complete his round and fired five birdies on the back nine.

That allowed him to hold a one-shot lead over local favourite Jaco Van Zyl, who shot three birdies and an eagle in a 68 to sit at 10 under overall.

"I'm surprised given that on Wednesday afternoon I didn't think I would be able to tee it up," said Stenson, a winner of this event in 2008.

"I thought I was done and dusted, so to be leading after two days, it's a turnaround to say the least. But the saying is 'beware of the injured or sick golfer' and I guess that's true."

Van Zyl had a birdie, an eagle and a bogey in the first four holes and two more birdies just after the turn, but he finished with seven straight pars to trail Stenson.

"It felt a little like a duel between me and Henrik," said Van Zyl, who is looking for his first European Tour win.

Robert Streb of the United States is two shots off the pace in third at nine under par after a 66 that featured four birdies and two bogeys in his last six holes.

Australia's Marc Leishman is fourth at eight under, while elsewhere defending champion Danny Willett of England shot a 75 to drop back to two under overall.

England's Lee Westwood had a nightmare day, shooting a nine-over 81 to lie third last in the 30-man field.
Source: AFP