Daniel Greene sailed serenely on the winds around Humewood Golf Club on Thursday as he carded a seven-under-par 65 to take the second-round lead at 17-under in the R510,000 Vodacom Business Origins of Golf event being played there.

Added to his stellar opening round of 10-under 62, it meant Greene took a three shot lead into the final round over Ulrich van den Berg, who signed for his second consecutive seven-under 65 to be three shots off the 24-year-old rookie’s pace.

“No bogeys so far,” said Greene, “and hopefully by the end of tomorrow, you can say the same thing.”

His success in the tournament so far has been built by what playing partner Josh Cunliffe described as “giving himself so many opportunities” – Greene has been very long off the tee, largely straight, and has putted very well.

“I’ve taken most of the chances that have come my way,” he agreed. “Maybe missed just four birdie putts, not difficult ones, and when I do make a bad iron shot, I’m finding it quite easy to putt it from off the green.”

Behind Van den Berg, Jean Hugo is poised on nine-under after his round of 70, with Jaco van Zyl on eight-under after a 66.

A group of five players is gathered on seven-under: Doug McGuigan, Adilson Da Silva, Johan du Buisson, Alan Michell and Shaun Norris.

Van den Berg knew early in his round what the task ahead of him was. “By the time I got to the par-five 15th, which was my sixth hole, Daniel had already finished at 17-under, so I knew I had to keep going,” he said.

He was filled with admiration at what Greene has achieved. “That’s an unbelievable score, to be in at 127,” he said. It’s the second-best ever 36-hole score on the Sunshine Tour, topped only by Hennie Otto’s 126 in the opening two rounds of February’s Vodacom Championship at Pretoria Country Club.

Van den Berg is under no illusions as to what he has to do in the final round. “The money’s on him,” he said. “We’ve got it all to do to try and catch him and if he plays a solid round of golf, it’s going to be tough to get him.”

Greene is going to have to go where he hasn’t been before: Should he win, it will be his maiden professional victory, and Van den Berg has won five times on the Sunshine Tour.

“To win tournaments isn’t easy,” said Van den Berg. “But if I can carry on doing what I have been doing, and executing well, maybe that will be the difference tomorrow.”

Greene is going to take things in his same lengthy, languid stride: “I’ll do the same thing; just hole by hole, shot by shot. If you don’t think ahead, there’s not too much to think about,” he pointed out.