A stormer for Stenson

Sweden's Henrik Stenson lines up a putt on the 18th hole at the Gary Player Country Club.

Sun City // Sweden's Henrik Stenson completed the second round of the rain-interrupted Sun City Challenge to stay in the lead in South Africa. After rain and lightning on Friday, the skies cleared and play resumed with Stenson dropping two shots on his way to a one-under 71.

Stenson, on 10-under 134, leads by four from South African Rory Sabbatini and is five clear of Sun City debutant KJ Choi. Sabbatini reduced the gap to three through 16 holes, but lost the impetus with a bogey-bogey finish for a two-under 70. Choi delivered a bogey-free five-under 67 that also earned the South Korean the lowest round accolades. Stenson's countryman Robert Karlsson slipped into fourth place with a four-under 68, while Sergio Garcia, twice a winner at Sun City, is tied for fifth alongside Briton's Lee Westwood.

The pair carded rounds of 70 and 72 respectively. The big-hitting Stenson showed none of the blistering form that launched him into the lead on Thursday with a course record nine-under-par 63 and gave him the edge on Friday before play was called off. After a birdie at the 10th, Stenson struggled to clean up for par at the 11th and his wayward tee shot at the par-three 12th delivered his first bogey.

Stenson sliced his chip shot 18 feet right and well past the flag. His second chip came out better and his putt for par crawled into the hole for a four. Playing partner Sabbatini, who missed a three-footer for birdie at the 10th, dropped a shot at 11 but made amends with a superb birdie at the par-four 13th. His tee shot split the fairway and he knocked his approach to a foot and rolled in for a three.

Two more birdies, at the par-four 15th and par-three 16th, saw the South African close the gap to three shots. But Sabbatini's tee shots at 17 and 18 let him down, opening the door for Stenson to take command again. The Swede reached the par-four 18th in two, but lagged his first putt from 25 feet and failed to close out for par. Further rain and lightning was predicted for later in the day. * Reuters