Port Elizabeth - Daniel Greene sailed serenely on the winds around Humewood Golf Club on Thursday as he carded a seven-under-par 65 to take the second-round lead at 17-under in the R510 000 Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event being played there.

Added to his stellar opening round of 10-under 62, it meant Greene took a three shot lead into the final round over Ulrich van den Berg, who signed for his second consecutive seven-under 65 to be three shots off the 24-year-old rookie’s pace.

“No bogeys so far,” said Greene, “and hopefully by the end of tomorrow, you can say the same thing.”

His success in the tournament so far has been built by what playing partner Josh Cunliffe described as “giving himself so many opportunities” – Greene has been very long off the tee, largely straight, and has putted very well.

“I’ve taken most of the chances that have come my way,” he agreed. “Maybe missed just four birdie putts, not difficult ones, and when I do make a bad iron shot, I’m finding it quite easy to putt it from off the green.”

Behind Van den Berg, Jean Hugo is poised on nine-under after his round of 70, with Jaco van Zyl on eight-under after a 66.

A group of five players is gathered on seven-under: Doug McGuigan, Adilson Da Silva, Johan du Buisson, Alan Michell and Shaun Norris.

Van den Berg knew early in his round what the task ahead of him was. “By the time I got to the par-five 15th, which was my sixth hole, Daniel had already finished at 17-under, so I knew I had to keep going,” he said.

He was filled with admiration at what Greene has achieved. “That’s an unbelievable score, to be in at 127,” he said. It’s the second-best ever 36-hole score on the Sunshine Tour, topped only by Hennie Otto’s 126 in the opening two rounds of February’s Vodacom Championship at Pretoria Country Club.

Van den Berg is under no illusions as to what he has to do in the final round. “The money’s on him,” he said. “We’ve got it all to do to try and catch him and if he plays a solid round of golf, it’s going to be tough to get him.”

Greene is going to have to go where he hasn’t been before: Should he win, it will be his maiden professional victory, and Van Den Berg has won five times on the Sunshine Tour.

“To win tournaments isn’t easy,” said Van den Berg. “But if I can carry on doing what I have been doing, and executing well, maybe that will be the difference tomorrow.”

Greene is going to take things in his same lengthy, languid stride: “I’ll do the same thing; just hole by hole, shot by shot. If you don’t think ahead, there’s not too much to think about,” he pointed out.

Scores (RSA unless specified):

127 - Daniel Greene 62 65
130 - Ulrich van den Berg 65 65
135 - Jean Hugo 65 70
136 - Jaco Van Zyl 70 66
137 - Doug McGuigan 69 68, Alan Michell 68 69, Adilson da Silva (BRA) 65 72, Shaun Norris 67 70, Johan du Buisson 68 69
138 - PH McIntyre 71 67, Derik Ferreira 69 69, Darren Blair 67 71, Brett Liddle 69 69
139 - Kevin Stone 67 72, Dion Fourie 71 68, Christiaan Basson 70 69
140 - Alex Haindl 70 70, Mark Murless 72 68, Jake Roos 72 68, Grant Muller 69 71, Charl Coetzee 71 69, Titch Moore 70 70
141 - Danie van Niekerk (Jnr) 72 69, Theunis Spangenberg 70 71, Tyrone Ferreira 71 70, Des Terblanche 71 70
142 - Justin Harding 73 69, Louis de Jager 74 68, Toto Thimba (Jnr) 71 71, Patrick O'Brien 70 72, Lindani Ndwandwe 71 71, Attie Schwartzel 69 73
143 - Francois van Vuuren 71 72, Richard Kemp (ENG) 72 71, Irvin Mazibuko 71 72, Neil Schietekat 72 71, Louis Moolman 71 72, Matthew Carvell 71 72, Keenan Davidse 70 73, Jaco Ahlers 72 71, Darren Fichardt 73 70, Andrew Curlewis 75 68, Prinavin Nelson 72 71

Missed the cut:

144 - Steve van Vuuren 72 72, Thabang Simon 70 74, Mark Fensham 72 72, Hendrik Buhrmann 68 76, Josh Cunliffe 75 69, Oliver Bekker 70 74, Nicol van Wyk 75 69, Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 71 73, Divan van den Heever 72 72
145 - Michael Dreyer 71 74, Jake Redman 74 71, Warren Abery 72 73, Vaughn Groenewald 69 76, Reggie Adams 72 73, Nic Henning 72 73
146 - Bradford Vaughan 75 71, Willie van der Merwe 74 72, Teboho Sefatsa 73 73
147 - Eugen Marugi 71 76, Anthony Michael 73 74
148 - PG van Zyl 73 75, Roberto Lupini 78 70, Heinrich Bruiners 74 74
149 - Steve Basson 73 76
150 - Ryan Tipping 76 74
151 - Omar Sandys 73 78
152 - Ivan van Onselen 75 77, Cameron Johnston 78 74
155 - Jacques Blaauw 78 77