Scotland's Steven O'Hara, fighting for his European Tour life, leads the South African Open on his own after a second-round 68 at Serengeti today.
Without a win in 222 events going back a decade and down in 134th place on this season's money list, the 31-year-old kept a bogey off his card to reach 11 under par at halfway.
Twice winner Retief Goosen and his fellow South African Merrick Bremner are right on his heels, however, and five-time champion Ernie Els is far from out of things five behind after a second successive 69.
Unless he finishes in the top five to earn himself a place in next week's Hong Kong Open, this is O'Hara's last opportunity to keep his Tour card.
To do it in one go he will now need to be in the top three on Sunday as Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin - the player in the vital 118th position - survived the cut with nothing to spare at two under.
O'Hara, joint overnight leader with South African Jbe Kruger, had three birdies in a back-nine 33, picked up another shot on the 382-yard second and then closed with seven successive pars.
Goosen, runner-up to Els last year in Durban, grabbed five birdies, including one on the 485-yard 18th for the second day running, but a bogey at the short fifth meant he matched O'Hara's round.
Bremner also shot 68, coming back with six birdies after he had bogeyed the 225-yard 12th - his third - and double-bogeyed the next.
Last week's Alfred Dunhill winner Garth Mulroy is only two back with little-known South African qualifier Lyle Rowe, whose superb joint best-of-the-day 66 came from the depths of 1,388th on the world rankings - effectively joint last.
Rowe had a second-round 88 in the event last December, but this time eagled the eighth and had six birdies along with two bogeys.
Ireland's Gareth Maybin shot a 73 to lie on two under.
