Oosthuizen takes control in China

South African Louis Oosthuizen turned on the style again today to take charge of the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

The 30-year-old, winner of The Open by a massive seven-stroke margin two years ago, was three clear of Phil Mickelson with three holes to play in his second round at Mission Hills - and that despite the American grabbing two early eagles.

Oosthuizen, joint overnight leader with Australian Adam Scott, matched Mickelson's front nine 31 and then added further birdies on the 10th, 11th and long 15th to reach 15-under-par.

Twice winner Mickelson moved into second place after picking up threes at both the 548-yard third and 566-yard seventh and then rolled in an 18-foot putt at the 12th.

Scott reached 12-under as well with an outward 32 and then a fifth birdie of the day on the long 11th, but followed that with back-to-back bogeys.

That dropped him back alongside Swede Peter Hanson, who matched Mickelson's eagle on the third and was keeping alive his hopes of a second successive victory - one that would take him above the absent Rory McIlroy at the top of the European money list.

Still well in the hunt were Ireland's Shane Lowry, England's Ian Poulter and current Open champion Ernie Els, who went to the turn in a scintillating 29 on his return from an ankle injury.

Lowry was nine under with two holes remaining, while Poulter moved alongside him by covering the front nine in just 30.

A seven-foot putt on the 16th took Oosthuizen to nine under for the day and two closing pars gave him a course record 63 - and a five-stroke lead when Mickelson missed a four-foot par putt at the 14th.

Scott had come back from his two bogeys with two successive birdies, but he failed to get up and down from short of the 17th and so was alongside Mickelson on 11 under.

A brilliant approach to two feet on the 12th gave Els his eighth birdie and with Lowry closing with a 15-foot putt on the long ninth for a 68 they were joint fourth on 10-under, but Hanson was two further back after a chip came back to him and he double-bogeyed the 12th.

Poulter's title hopes took a blow too with bogeys at the 13th and 14th. At seven under he was down to 12th place and had nine strokes to make up.