Nick Faldo stormed into contention for his first European Tour victory in more than six years following a vintage display in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

The six-times major winner added a superb second-round 65 to his opening 68 at Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg to lie just one shot off the lead held by Scotland's Dean Robertson.

Faldo recorded seven birdies and no dropped shots, moving into a tie for second with compatriots Justin Rose and Anthony Wall, South African Des Terblanche, Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez and Australian Adam Scott.

Faldo, whose last victory in Europe came in Belgium in 1994, admitted his barren spell had preyed on his mind but said he now felt free from pressure with his golf course design business taking off.

"It's four years since I won an individual event (the Nissan Open in America in 1997) so it's been a while," the 43-year-old said. "It does play on your mind and you start wondering what it feels like to put yourself in that position again.

"But I have nothing to lose now, if it's good it's good, and if it isn't then it doesn't matter because I'm building my pension in a different way, literally.

Among those sharing joint second with Faldo was Rose, whose 11-under 133 was his best half-way total since turning professional the day after finishing fourth in the Open at Royal Birkdale in 1998.

The half-way leader Robertson added a 70 to his opening course record of 62.