Dunhill Challenge: Sweden's Peter Gustafsson manufactured a crafty early-morning 68 to take an unexpected two-shot lead into today's third round of the Dunhill Challenge at the Leopard Creek golf club, Malelane, South Africa.

Gustafsson posted his score before most of the challengers had got into their rounds and so sneaked ahead on the scoreboard, although few would have expected the two-round score of seven under to hold up, with leader Bruce McDonald being just one shot back at the start of his round.

But as the temperatures rose the leaders started tumbling, none more than world number three and tournament favourite Ernie Els, whose nightmare afternoon saw him post a disappointing 75 to be six shots off the pace.

Peter Lawrie shot a best of the day 67 to move to within five shots of the lead with Damien McGrane on the same mark after a 68. Stephen Browne, in his first tournament since winning his Tour card, also made the cut after a 71 left him on 147.

Late in the afternoon another Oliver Whiteley stormed into contention with three birdies in the last four holes to join the group at five under.

Gustafsson will be chased by South Africans Warren Abery and Des Terblanche, while Worksop-based Neil Cheetham kept himself in the running with a workmanlike 71 to stay two shots off the pace.

Els has been primed to win this tournament, which was shifted from its normal January date to accommodate his tight schedule and played at a course he owns a house on. But in the daunting heat his knowledge counted for little as he fell foul on a four-hole stretch.

Els' woes started on the par-five 13th where he pulled the ball into the hazard, took a penalty drop and then sank his next shot in the water but scrambled out to escape with a double-bogey for the hole.

On the par-five 15th he pulled his shot right out of bounds and was forced to play a provisional off the tee for his third, leaving both his approach and his chip short before two-putting for another double-bogey seven.

And it did not get better as the hometown favourite dropped another shot on the par-three 16th after missing the green and two-putting again.

While 75 is not a disaster for a player of Els' quality, he will certainly need a better third day if he wants to add the title to the five others he has won this year.

Abery shot another competent round of 70 and, after having to qualify on Monday for this tournament, is looking very solid for the weekend.

Alongside him is Terblanche, a long-time friend of Els who is staying at the Big Easy's house and is also two off the pace.

Gustafsson has not led a tournament on the European Tour before but made the most of the cool weather early on to steal the show.

"My putter is working extremely well at the moment, and that is the only reason why I seem to be doing well," he admitted after a round of four birdies and one dropped a shot on the second, which has played relatively easy all week.

The Swede, who missed the cut in Hong Kong last week and is on his first visit to South Africa, finally got his Tour card through the qualifying school earlier this year and admitted he likes to get through his round on the wild Leopard Creek course in a hurry.

"I'm just scared of snakes and every time I go into the bush it worries me," Gustafsson said of the area which has many signposts warning of reptilian danger afoot.

Second Round Scores

(Irish in bold, British unless stated, par 72):

137 - P Gustafsson (Swe) 69 68.

139 - N Cheetham 68 71, O Whiteley 72 67, D Terblanche (Rsa) 69 70, W Abery 69 70 (Rsa).

140 - D Frost (Rsa) 70 70, C Schwartzel (Rsa) 71 69, L Westerberg (Swe) 70 70, E Little 71 69.

141 - D Fichardt (Rsa) 70 71, L Ndwandwe (Rsa) 70 71, A Tadini (Ita) 71 70, L Oosthuizen (Rsa) 72 69, M Gronberg (Swe) 70 71, R Finch 72 69, M Quiros (Spa) 69 72, G Storm 73 68.

142 - M Davis 70 72, L Slattery 73 69, E Els (Rsa) 67 75, S Son-Houi (Fra) 69 73, O Wilson 69 73, M Lamb (Zim) 72 70, P Lawrie 75 67, B McDonald (Zim) 66 76, A Cruse (Rsa) 70 72, D McGrane 74 68.

143 - S Little 72 71, M Kirk (USA) 71 72, K Horne (Rsa) 71 72, I Garbutt 71 72, I Steel (Mal) 70 73.

144 - R Reid (Rsa) 75 69, P Archer 73 71, M Morris 72 72, A McLardy (Rsa) 72 72, P Bradshaw 73 71, J Edfors (Swe) 70 74, H Otto (Rsa) 73 71, F Molinari (Ita) 73 71, J Kamte (Rsa) 68 76.

145 - M Siem (Ger) 76 69, T Clark (USA) 77 68, N Le Grange (Rsa) 71 74, B Lincoln (Rsa) 71 74, B Cornut (Fra) 74 71, M Murless (Rsa) 76 69, C Davison (Rsa) 72 73, J Axgren (Swe) 73 72.

146 - B Teilleria (Fra) 68 78, S Manley 74 72, R Tipping (Rsa) 72 74, R Eyraud (Fra) 68 78, S Basson (Rsa) 74 72, A Haig (Rsa) 77 69, A Bossert (Swi) 74 72, J Clement (Swi) 73 73.

147 - S Browne (Irl) 76 71, D Patrick 75 72, G Bourdy (Fra) 74 73, C Swart (Rsa) 71 76, U Van Den Berg (Rsa) 72 75, M Erlandsson (Swe) 72 75, Martin Maritz (Rsa) 75 72, R Kakko (Fin) 73 74, S Daniels (Rsa) 76 71, O Sandys (Rsa) 79 68, T Aiken (Rsa) 72 75, G Muller (Rsa) 76 71.

148 - J A Larsen (Nor) 74 74, A Michell (Rsa) 72 76, B Liddle (Rsa) 74 74, T Moore (Rsa) 72 76, J Skold (Swe) 74 74, M Blackey 77 71, L Bond 78 70, G Houston 80 68, M King (Aus) 75 73, J Backstrom (Swe) 71 77.