Henrik Stenson kept the focus on his own game as he moved a step closer to the Race to Dubai title on Thursday at the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player.
The Swede leads Danny Willett by 252,163 points at the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, and could win his second Harry Vardon Trophy in four years if he wins at Gary Player Country Club and Willett finishes outside the top ten.
The duo were paired together in round one and while Stenson fired a 69 to sit just one shot off the lead, Willett struggled to a 75 on a day of tough scoring in Sun City.
That appears to have handed first blood to Stenson but the Open Championship winner knows a lot can happen over the next three days and is focusing purely on himself.
"I just want to play as well as I can for these two weeks and see where it takes me," he said.
"Of course you're always going to look a little bit and see what the other guys are doing but at the end of the day I've got to focus on my game and I managed to do that. So I'm happy with the day's work."
Stenson got off to a slow start in a swirling wind on the front nine and bogeyed the sixth before hitting back with birdies on the eighth and ninth. Another bogey on the 13th slipped him back again but a hat-trick of gains from the 15th moved him right into contention.
I just want to play as well as I can for these two weeks and see where it takes me - Henrik Stenson
"It was below average on the front nine and I hit a good shot into eight and drained a nice birdie putt on nine to turn in red figures," he said.
"I hit it nicely on the back nine and rounded with some good birdies on 15, 16, 17 and a good par save on last. I'm very happy with that round.
"It is a tricky golf course. We're playing in altitude and if you don't get it right it can easily go away from you. I was hanging in there and got rewarded for my patience and a couple of good shots coming in."
