Els eases ahead

Ernie Els played another flawless round, shooting 66 to ease two shots clear of Colin Montgomerie on the second day of the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.

Ernie Els played another flawless round, shooting 66 to ease two shots clear of Colin Montgomerie on the second day of the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.

As soaking rain fell, Spaniard Sergio Garcia started off in spectacular fashion, shooting five consecutive birdies on the first five holes. He got three more, but spoiled a possible course record-equalling 64, by three-putting on the eighth, and going horribly two over par on the 18th to finish on 67.

Els, in the meantime, took very few risks, and picked up regular birdies throughout his round.

First round leader Paul Lawrie had a nightmare round. The British Open champion dropped shots to par on six holes, and picked up just two birdies to shoot 76 and slip to eight shots behind Els.

European number one Montgomerie scored four birdies in his 69, but he tempered those with a dropped shot on the 11th. His long putts on wet greens made reading them a thankless task.

Garcia was intensely disappointed with his round, blaming the greens for his unhappiness.