SUN CITY, South Africa – Henrik Stenson made five birdies on his back nine to shoot a 5-under 67 Friday and take a one-shot lead after the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

After bogeying three straight holes before a two-hour rain delay, the Swede came back out to pick up five shots between the 11th and 17th holes for an 11-under total of 133. Jaco van Zyl of South Africa was second after a 68, with American Robert Streb shooting the best round of the day for a 66 to sit another shot back in third.

“I was not on a good run before the break,” Stenson said. “I didn’t do too much wrong but managed to string three bogeys in a row, so at that time it was probably good to have a break, and it really cooled down afterward for the back nine.”

Van Zyl, who shared the overnight lead with Stenson, birdied his first two holes after the rain break to move to 10 under, but could only par the last seven.

“It felt a little like a duel between me and Henrik,” Van Zyl said. “I looked at the leaderboard and I think we were two or three clear of the rest of the field. I don’t feel that there’s too much expectation, so I’ll go out over the weekend and try and get a couple of low ones in there.”

GOLD COAST, Australia – David Lingmerth of Sweden shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Australian PGA championship.

Lingmerth had a 36-hole total of 3-under 141 on a Royal Pines course playing slightly easier than Thursday, when rain and gusting winds prevented all but six players from finishing under par in the European Tour co-sanctioned event.

Only 12 players were under par after the second round.

The six players tied for second included American Peter Uihlein (67), England’s Mark Foster (73) and first-round leader Zander Lombard of South Africa (75).

“This gives me some confidence going into the weekend, but at the same time, these are all players that can shoot seven, eight under, both rounds out there over the weekend,” Lingmerth said. “I’m going to have to play very well to win, but I do feel like I should have a good shot.”

One of five players tied for eighth, two strokes behind Lingmerth, was U.S.-based Australian Rhein Gibson, who shot 64 on Friday after an opening 79.

Gibson said he rated Friday’s round better than his unofficial 16-under-par 55 he carded in an out-of-competition match with friends in Oklahoma three years ago.

“Under tournament conditions … this course is tough,” said Gibson, who has qualified for next year’s PGA Tour after finishing 10th in the Web.com Tour finals.

“To be able to do that on a Friday to make the cut and get back in contention, it’s probably better than a 55.”

American Brandt Snedeker, the highest-ranked player in the tournament at No. 38, missed the cut after an opening 84. He shot 75 Friday and was 15-over to miss qualifying by nine strokes.

Snedeker promised to come back to Australia and play better.

“I definitely feel embarrassed about my play the last two days,” Snedeker said. “I’m going to need to come back down here and redeem myself. I feel like they deserved better and my game was not up to it obviously.”

Defending champion Greg Chalmers shot 76-75 to also miss the cut by one stroke.

SUN CITY, South Africa – South African golfer Jaco van Zyl birdied three of the last five holes to ensure some local representation at the top of the Nedbank Challenge leaderboard with Henrik Stenson in the first round at Sun City on Thursday.

Sweden’s Stenson shook off the illness that hampered his buildup to record five birdies by the turn, but was less prolific over the final nine holes and finished with a 6-under 66 that was matched by Van Zyl.

England’s Danny Willett ended the day in third after shooting 67, while South African Branden Grace and Australia’s Mark Leishman were a further shot back in fourth.

GOLD COAST, Australia – Brandt Snedeker, the top-ranked player at the Australian PGA championship, shot a 12-over-par 84 in the opening round Thursday.

Snedeker, ranked 38th and one of only three players in the top 100 at Royal Pines this week, was 7-over after five holes. Starting on the back nine, he had two bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey to start and made the turn in 9-over 45.

On his last nine, the American golfer had four bogeys and his only birdie of the day, on the par-4 sixth.

The course played tough early with rain showers and strong, gusting winds.

“It was just a horrible day,” Snedeker said. “There is nothing else to say. I wish I could put a spin on it. I think the conditions obviously played a part in it. But I think it was way more execution than it was conditions. When you’re not firing on all cylinders and the wind is blowing the way it did out here, your mistakes are going to be exacerbated. Mine were.”

Snedeker was 17 strokes behind first-round leader Zander Lombard of South Africa, who shot 67 to lead by two strokes from England’s Mark Foster in the co-sanctioned Australian and European Tour event.

MALELANE, South Africa – Charl Schwartzel eased to a four-shot victory at the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday to become the third South African behind Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to win 10 European Tour titles.

Schwartzel’s fourth triumph at the Alfred Dunhill was ultimately comfortable as he finished with a 2-under 70 for a 15-under total of 273.

The 2011 U.S. Masters champion also claimed a small piece of history for himself by becoming the first South African to win a European Tour event four times.

Schwartzel won ahead of a group of Frenchmen who chased him on the final day at Leopard Creek Country Club. Gregory Bourdy was second on 11 under, Benjamin Hebert was third on 10 under, and rookie Sebastien Gros finished fourth on 9 under.

Schwartzel’s lead was cut to one shot around the turn, but he picked up birdies on Nos. 11, 13 and 14 to pull away again and a routine par on the last capped another victory at his favorite event.

The 31-year-old from Johannesburg reacted to his first European Tour win in two years by raising his arms and puffing out his cheeks in a display that showed his relief at finally getting a victory.

“I had a lot of demons to fight,” said Schwartzel, who admitted that he had been struggling with his game. “I was very happy it worked out.”

Schwartzel was sprayed with champagne by fellow South African players Louis Oosthuizen and Hennie Otto as he walked off the 18th green, smiling again.

Seven of Schwartzel’s 10 tour titles have come in South Africa, and the Leopard Creek course is undoubtedly his best with four second-place finishes at the Alfred Dunhill Championship to go with his four victories.

“I wish we could play some majors here,” he said.

Although Schwartzel struggled at times this week, none of his chasers could take advantage and mount a consistent challenge.

Hebert was a shot off the lead at the turn but he couldn’t pick up any more shots after No. 11. Bourdy did well to recover for second after a 6 on the short, par-3 No. 7.

Rookie Gros, who was playing in just his second European Tour event, had back-to-back double bogeys early in his round. Playing in the final pair alongside Schwartzel, the 26-year-old Frenchman shrugged off those early problems and birdied the last for his best performance to date.

MALELANE, South Africa – Charl Schwartzel will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the European Tour’s season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship after a 2-under 70 moved him to 13 under par on Saturday.

Schwartzel has returned to form at one of his favorite tournaments, which he’s won three times before along with four second-place finishes.

The South African is ahead of French pair Benjamin Hebert and Sebastien Gros at Leopard Creek Country Club.

Schwartzel, the 2011 U.S. Masters champion, had opened a five-shot lead after two rounds. He was pegged back by a bogey on his opening hole on Saturday but that was the only dropped shot of his round.

Having just avoided the cut, defending champion Branden Grace carded a 6-under 66 to surge up to a tie for ninth. Grace put himself in contention for a strong finish to his title defense after making birdies on four of his last six holes.

Rookie Gros was playing just his seventh round on the European Tour but his scintillating round of 63 with nine birdies has given him a chance of a maiden tour title already.

He’ll have to play well to beat Schwartzel on Sunday, who rates the Leopard Creek course in the wilderness of northern South Africa as one of his favorites.

Should Schwartzel hold onto his lead, he will become the first South African to win a European Tour event four times.

South African Dylan Frittelli was fourth on 8 under, while David Drysdale, Joost Luiten, Gregory Bourdy and Lasse Jensen share fifth, another shot back.

MALELANE, South Africa – Charl Schwartzel shot a 5-under 67 Friday to open a five-shot lead after the second round of the European Tour’s season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship.

South Africa’s Schwartzel, a three-time champion at the Alfred Dunhill, made six birdies and a bogey for an 11-under total of 133 at the halfway point.

There was a four-way tie for second at Leopard Creek Country Club, with Pablo Martin Benavides, Richard Sterne, Benjamin Hebert and Joost Luiten on 6 under.

Defending champion Branden Grace struggled to a 73 – despite an eagle on No. 13 – to be tied for 51st on level par, just avoiding the cut.

Louis Oosthuizen, the highest-ranked player at Leopard Creek this week, carded 76 to miss the cut after needing eight shots on the par-3 No. 7. It was Oosthuizen’s first missed cut in his last 18 European Tour events.

Because lightning suspended play Thursday, Schwartzel finished his first round early Friday by birdying No. 18 for a 66. He birdied the hole again in his second round to continue his strong play at a tournament where he has finished second four times to go with his three titles.

“Every year I come back here, as soon as I arrive I get that real comfortable feeling, a peaceful feeling,” Schwartzel said of the golf course on the edge of the Kruger National Park wildlife reserve.

As Schwartzel surged ahead, overnight leader Christiaan Basson had a 76 to slip down to a tie for ninth.

The European Tour opened its 2015-16 season at the Alfred Dunhill Championship just days after Rory McIlroy won the World Tour Championship and the tour’s 2014-15 Race to Dubai crown.

MALELANE, South Africa – Christiaan Basson held the clubhouse lead in the first round of the European Tour’s season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship after play was suspended Thursday because of lightning.

Charl Schwartzel was part of a tie for second three shots behind Basson, but was one of a small number of players who hadn’t finished their rounds when play was called off late in the afternoon in northern South Africa.

Home player Basson opened the season with an 8-under 64 at Leopard Creek Country Club, starting the 2016 Race to Dubai just four days after Rory McIlroy clinched the 2015 crown. Basson, who is searching for a maiden win on the tour, had eight birdies and no bogeys.

Compatriot Schwartzel was one of three players on 5 under par, although the former U.S. Masters champion wasn’t able to finish his final hole before play was suspended until Friday. Schwartzel, a three-time winner of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, had three straight birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16 to be tied with Zimbabwe’s Mark Williams and England’s Matt Ford.

Basson overshadowed a trio of South Africans who had attracted most of the attention ahead of the first event of the season: 2011 Masters winner Schwartzel, former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace, who finished third in the Race to Dubai last week, are all starting their 2016 seasons at home.

While Schwartzel was on the leaderboard, No. 15-ranked Oosthuizen opened with a 2-under 70 and No. 18 Grace, this tournament’s defending champion, shot a 71.

Swede Niclas Fasth is playing in his 500th European Tour event and marked the milestone with a 68 for tied fifth.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy survived a late scare and finished his frustrating season on a high, winning both the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai crown on Sunday.

McIlroy got the better of overnight leader Andy Sullivan over the back nine to clinch the European Tour’s season-ending tournament.

The third-ranked Northern Irishman shot 6-under 66 with eight birdies to finish on 21-under 267, one stroke ahead of Sullivan (68).

England’s Danny Willett, who started the tournament 1,613 points behind McIlroy in the Race to Dubai and needed to beat him to become the European No. 1 for the first time in his career, finished tied for fourth on 13-under 275 after shooting 70.

South Africa’s Branden Grace shot 5-under 67 in the final round to finish third on 273.

McIlroy had an anxious moment late in the day when his tee shot on the par-3 17th found the water and threatened to nullify his advantage at that stage.

But the 26-year-old McIlroy made a brilliant 40-feet putt to limit the damage to a bogey, which gave him a one-shot lead going to the 18th where he and Sullivan made par.

“In hindsight, I probably should have gone with a different club and a different shot,” McIlroy said of his problems at the 17th. “It’s definitely probably the longest putt I’ve ever made for a bogey. I don’t think there’s been one that’s come at a better time. So, yeah, definitely the best bogey of my career.”

McIlroy also won the Race to Dubai title as the European Tour’s No. 1 player for the year, the third time he has secured the honor after winning in 2012 and 2014.

“To be European No. 1 for the third time in four years, that was a goal of mine at the start of the year. It was a goal of mine in the middle of the year and it was definitely a goal coming into these last few weeks,” he said.

McIlroy’s closest rival for the Race to Dubai was Willett, who made early birdies to climb to third place on the leaderboard, but both McIlroy and Sullivan had enough birdies of their own to stay comfortably clear. Willett needed to finish ahead of McIlroy in the tournament.

Sullivan had two birdies in the first two holes, and four in the first six. McIlroy bogeyed the fourth and trailed Sullivan by three shots at one stage, despite birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7.

But the birdies stopped for Sullivan as he started spraying his tee shots, and McIlroy edged ahead with two crucial birdies on the 14th and 15th holes.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy shot the best round of the day to move within one shot of leader Andy Sullivan after the third round of the World Tour Championship on Saturday, which also puts him closer to the Race to Dubai title.

McIlroy shot a 7-under 65 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to make up three shots on Sullivan (68) and go four strokes clear of Danny Willett, his closest challenger for the season-long Race to Dubai crown. Willett looked set to be even further back but made two birdies and an eagle on his last five holes for a 67.

Sullivan made two birdies on his last four to maintain the lead with a 16-under total of 200.

Despite making eight birdies in the swirling wind, McIlroy was left ruing some the chances he missed.

“I guess you can’t really walk off this golf course, especially in these conditions, and shoot 7-under and not feel good about yourself. But at the same time, I feel like it could have been a lot better,” McIlroy said. “The good thing is, there’s still one round of golf left. If it had been the final day, I’d be kicking myself with some of the chances I missed. I am playing lovely, so bodes well for tomorrow.”

American Patrick Reed shot a 68 that gave him sole possession of third place, two shots behind McIlroy, while South Korea’s Byeong-hun An (66) and Emiliano Grillo (71) of Argentina were tied for fourth at 204.

Sullivan was 2 under after seven holes, but a string of pars left him slightly frustrated before the two late birdies. He made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, and then saved par from a similar distance on the 18th.

“Felt like the putter really saved me the last few holes,” he said. “The way I played, I was quite happy with the 68, really.”

Justin Rose, who was third in the Race to Dubai at the start of the week and needed to win the tournament to become the European No. 1 for the second time in his career, shot a 78 and slipped out of contention.