World number two Ernie Els and Europe's Thomas Bjorn are both on course for the World Match Play Championship semi-finals as they moved into a healthy leads at the halfway stage.
Fellow South African Tim Clark, 62 places below Els in the rankings, had predicted a David v Goliath contest and he regularly drove 50 yards shorter than the 2002 British Open champion.
But Clark at least remained in touching distance of the defending champion, who edged ahead at the long 12th hole thanks to a 30-foot eagle putt. Els went further in front at the 16th when Clark missed the green with his approach on the way to a bogey five. Els leads by two with 18 of the 36 holes completed.
Meanwhile, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, the only European left in the field, played steady golf to lead US Masters champion Mike Weir three-up courtesy of a fourth-hole eagle and five birdies.
Vijay Singh, 1997 the Match Play champion, found the going tough in a stiff wind against debutant Shaun Micheel, the US PGA winner, who ran in five birdies to complete the first 18 two-up.
British Open champion Ben Curtis was searching for the form that earned him the Claret Jug at Sandwich in July against fast-improving fellow American Chad Campbell.
But Curtis battled back from an early deficit to turn one-up after a majestic five-wood to 12 feet set up an eagle three at the long 18th.
The players are competing for a European record £1 million first prize, with a £90,000 consolation going to each of the second-round losers.
The field has been based for the first time since the event began in 1964 on performance in the four majors rather than sponsor's invitations but that criteria failed to provide the usual liberal sprinkling of big names.
To add to organisers' frustrations, a number of leading Americans, including world number one Tiger Woods, declined to play.