Buhai has been in brilliant form this season, carding three successive runner-up finishes, and came flying out of the blocks in Tuesday’s opening round to establish a one-shot lead at three under.

She was the picture of composure as she fired a flawless second round six-under-par 68 on Wednesday to close in on a fifth Sunshine Ladies Tour title.

“It’s not in the bag, yet, but it’s great to go out and play with some confidence again,” said Buhai after moving to nine under 139.

“I struggled to adapt to the new clubs after Nike pulled their equipment, but after working with my coach (Doug Wood) at the Tshwane Ladies Open, I handled them better and felt the improvement in the second and third rounds. This week I really feel comfortable and it’s showing in my scores.”

Buhai notched a pair of birdies at four and five. Three more gains after the turn took her to eight under and she picked up birdie number nine at the closing par four.

“I rolled in a lot of good putts and had two great par-saves at six and 13 that kept me going,” she said. “It was nice to finish with another birdie to put a little daylight between myself and Lee-Anne, because she will come out firing in the final round.”

Pace is chasing her 11th trophy finish on the Sunshine Ladies Tour after achieving a historic hat-trick in the SA Women’s Open two weeks ago.

After a mediocre even-par 74 start, the three-time Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies champion came out guns blazing. She collected birdies at the second and third and added another brace of birdies at the fifth and sixth. A trio of gains from the 12th followed by four straight pars on the back nine for a 68 put Pace in sole second at six under.

“The only blip on my card was the bogey at seven where I didn’t up-and-down,” Pace said.

“I hoped to take advantage at the six par fives but I only managed to birdie three and I bogeyed seven, so things didn’t exactly go to plan. Overall, I’m pleased, though. I played really well tee to green and the putting was solid.

“I made a great par-save at 17, going from the trees into a bunker and onto the green and a solid par at the last to stay in touch with Ashleigh. If I can take advantage of the par fives and make a few more birdies tomorrow, I definitely believe I can catch her.”

Former Sun International Ladies Challenge champion Tandi von Ruben and four-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner Stacy Bregman are six off the pace after posting respective rounds of 72 and 73, while SA Women’s Masters champion Carrie Park carded a 71 to move to fifth at two under.

The amateur lead belongs to Slovakian Laila Hrindova, who joined evergreen Laurette Maritz at five over after a 78. She leads by one from Chiara Contomathios, who returned a 79.

Second Round Scores

139 - Ashleigh Buhai 71 68

142 - Lee-Anne Pace 74 68

145 - Tandi von Ruben 73 72, Stacy Bregman 72 73

146 - Carrie Park (KOR) 75 71

147 - Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) 74 73, Hannah Arnold (USA) 73 74

148 - Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) 75 73, Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 74 74, Lauren Taylor (ENG) 72 76

149 - Lejan Lewthwaite 78 71, Ivanna Samu 75 74, Francesca Cuturi 74 75

151 - Alexandra Lennartsson (SWE) 78 73

152 - Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR) 78 74, Nicole Garcia 77 75, Melissa Eaton 75 77, Anna Sventrup (SWE) 74 78

153 - Laurette Maritz 76 77, Laila Hrindova AMA (SVK) 75 78

154 - Chiara Contomathios AMA 75 79

155 - Alana van Greuning 78 77, Sofia Ljungqvist (SWE) 77 78, Kiran Matharu (ENG) 81 74

156 - Nora Angehrn (SUI) 78 78, Kim Williams 79 77, Katia Shaff AMA (AUT) 78 78, Hanna Roos (SWE) 79 77, Mae Cornforth 80 76

157 - Siviwe Duma 79 78, Maria Roos (SWE) 76 81, Bianca Wernich AMA 75 82

158 - Ethel Ruthenberg AMA 82 76

159 - Michelle Leigh 78 81, Zayb Fredericks AMA 80 79

160 - Bertine Strauss 80 80, Tijana Kraljevic 81 79

161 - Louise Larsson (SWE) 79 82, Clara Pietri (SUI) 82 79

162 - Lynette Fourie AMA 81 81

163 - Yolanda Duma 81 82, Laura Sedda (ITA) 83 80, Monja Richards 83 80

164 - Jordan Rothman AMA 80 84, Flavia Namakula (UGA) 81 83, Marguerite Pienaar 84 80, Vicki Traut AMA 85 79

165 - Mandy Adamson 87 78

166 - Tara Griebenow AMA 83 83, Leanda Schulze 89 77

168 - Michelle Swanepoel 87 81

170 - Kirsty Fisher (SCO) 83 87

176 - Muriel McIntyre (CAN) 86 90, Leslie Grandet (MAD) 87 89

Missed the cut:-

91 - Jacqueline Schram AMA (USA) 91, Laura Welch (CAN) 91, Sarah Osborn AMA 91

92 - Odette Booysen AMA 92

WDN - Iman Adams AMA WDN, La-eeqah Adams AMA WDN