Luke Donald enjoyed a spectacular second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge during which he dodged a baboon before racing to the top of the leaderboard.
The Englishman had an average opening day on Thursday, shooting a one-under par round of 71, but showed the class which saw him top the world rankings in 2011 as he carded a nine-under par 63 to head into the weekend two shots clear of the field.
Donald did have to dodge a charging baboon before grabbing the lead. As he prepared to hit an iron on the 13th hole, a baboon stormed the fairway and headed directly for him.
However Donald, 34, maintained his cool and after he made six birdies on the front nine, he added three on the back without dropping a shot throughout.
That was enough to see him move clear of compatriot Ross Fisher, who had held the overnight lead heading into Friday's play at at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.
Ireland's Shane Lowry endured a mixed day claiming another par to sit on level par overall.
Lowry hit a bogey on the second hole and followed that up with a double bogey on the third but pulled it back, hitting four birdies between the 6th and 14th holes before another bogey on the 15th left him with a round of 72.
"It's been a while since I've gone really low," said Donald on the European Tour website.
"I've been seeing some signs of a lot of improvement in the last few weeks and some lower rounds in the mid to high 60s, but obviously nine birdies around this place is a great round and something I was very pleased with.
"I felt very in control. It's been a while since I felt like that. Everything starts for me when I can feel like I can drive it in the fairway and then give myself some opportunities, and obviously when the putter is warm it's always one of my best weapons in the bag."
Despite losing the lead, Fisher stayed in contention with a round of 70 and now sits two behind Donald - with the same gap back to Frenchman Alexander Levy.
"I don't feel I played as solidly as yesterday," Fisher said of his second-round effort.
"I didn't hit it as well off the tee. It would have been nice to have picked up a couple coming in, but six under yesterday and two under today, it's moving in the right direction and I'm only two shots behind with two rounds to go.
"Yesterday we read the greens really well but today we over-read them. I had seven or eight putts that I hit exactly where I wanted to, but I over-read the borrow. Hopefully tomorrow they will go in again."
