Erik van Rooyen is the leading South African with Dylan Frittelli one behind his countryman after round two at the Italian Open, writes WADE PRETORIUS.

Van Rooyen enjoyed a bogey-free Friday after opening each nine with a birdie and adding another at the 15th, a second birdie at that hole this week, to sit two behind leader Martin Kaymer’s tally of -11.

Kaymer leads a group of five, all of whom are Ryder Cup colleagues, by one shot after a second round 63. The German, winner of the US Open, has seen his ranking slip to 117 in the world but five birdies in a row from the 13th helped him sit above Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Danny Willett, Graeme McDowell, Francesco Molinari and Thomas Pieters.

Van Rooyen’s 68 sees him share seventh with four others with Frittelli in the group of four at -8.

Frittelli bogeyed his 2nd hole but still turned three under before two late birdies helped ease the frustration of a dropped shot shortly after the turn.

At -7 is overnight co-leader Richard Sterne, who was forced to settle for a 72 after two bogeys in his final three holes. Sterne is joined on that mark by Darren Fichardt, who had three birdies and one drop in round two.

The cut line settled at -4 and there was drama on both sides as Haydn Porteous played his way into the weekend on the number thanks to four birdies in his final six holes to join Brandon Stone and Trevor Immelman (both 69). The reverse of that coin was George Coetzee who will sit out the final 36 holes after a triple bogey on the last saw him drop to -1.

One shot ahead of that bunch of Saffas are Jacques Kruyswijk and Dean Burmester, who played his way into the weekend by replicating his numbers on the 1st-9th holes on Friday and for the second day in a row, he made gains on the 1st, 7th and 9th holes.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+2) and Zander Lombard (+13) join Coetzee in missing the weekend.