PAARL, South Africa: Early Race to Dubai leader Pablo Martin moved to the top of the South African Open leaderboard with a four-under-par 68 in Friday’s second round at Pearl Valley Golf Estates.

The Spaniard’s round moved him to 11-under-par for a two-stroke lead over Denmark’s Anders Hansen at the tournament’s halfway mark.

Martin won the 2010 European Tour opener by taking the Alfred Dunhill Championship last weekend, while world number 46 Hansen is the top-ranked player in the field.

Martin’s round started on the 10th tee early on Friday morning, and he went on to make seven birdies while playing partner Hansen, the 2009 Joburg Open winner, scored a 69, with three birdies on each nine.

Martin’s fellow Spaniard Alejandro Canizares lay third with his 67 taking him to eight-under-par.

Louis Oosthuizen, who missed Wednesday’s pro-am through illness, was tied fourth at seven-under-par after scoring 69.

There is still a possibility he may withdraw from the tournament if his pregnant wife goes into labor over the weekend. Overnight leader Martin Erlandsson of Sweden slipped into a tie for sixth after a two-over 74.

“Four-under-par is always a good round,” said Martin. “It could have been lower but it could also have been a few higher, so I’m pleased with the score.

Scotland’s Callum Macaulay scored a hole-in-one at the par-three 15th hole on Friday to register the first ace of the tournament and help him to a tie for 10th.

The South African Open is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and South Africa’s Sunshine Tour.

Meanwhile, American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin predicted Friday that Tiger Woods would be as strong a player as ever when he comes back from his marital turmoil and break from golf.

Woods has admitted that he cheated on his wife and says he has decided to take an indefinite break from the game to try and save his marriage.

“Tiger’s obviously a very strong-minded individual and I don’t think he will play any differently when he comes back,” Pavin said on a visit to London. “He’s come back from injuries and setbacks and done fine.”

Pavin, who became the first non-European to receive the British Professional Golfers’ Association annual recognition award for services to golf, will lead a US team defending the title at Celtic Manor in Wales from Oct.

1-3 next year.

He did not elaborate on whether Woods, who missed the American triumph at Valhalla last year because of knee problems, would return to the team.

“To not have the best player in the world weakens the team,” he said. “That does not mean we can’t win without him because obviously we did last time, but you always want the best player in the world.” Pavin said Woods first had to resolve his marital problems.

“My main concern is for his family. My view of him as a golfer is not going to change at all and my view of him as a human being is not going to change either,” Pavin said.

“Everybody makes mistakes. I’m not going to sit here in judgment.