Oosthuizen surges clear

Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen rocketed to the top of the leaderboard at the Africa Open on Friday with a sizzling second-round 62.

The 2010 British Open champion stormed out of the blocks at the East London Golf Club, with five birdies and an eagle seeing him turn for home at seven-under for the day.

The South African backed up that effort with a further four birdies on the back nine to card a round of 11-under to move to 15-under at the halfway mark of the tournament, two shots clear of four of his countrymen.

That bunch includes overnight leader Thomas Aiken, who shot a 69 to go with his opening 64, and dual US Open winner Retief Goosen, who carded a 68.

Jaco Ahlers and Tjaart van der Walt join them on 13-under, with Swede Magnus A Carlsson in sixth place on 12-under.

Van der Walt's 64 included consecutive eagles - a hole-in-one at the second followed by a 20-foot putt for a three at the par-five third.

Britain has a monopoly on seventh place at the halfway point, with Scottish duo Alastair Forsyth and Craig Lee joining English pair Tommy Fleetwood and Danny Willett on 11-under.

Oosthuizen credited some aggressive play for his blistering round.

"I was aggressive because yesterday I left a few putts short and you're not going to hit it that far past on these greens," he said.