Davis Love III fired a five-under 67 to move level with fellow American Phil Mickelson for the halfway lead of the Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City, South Africa yesterday.

Love, the USPGA champion, started the day one shot behind Mickelson and beat his playing partner's four-under 68 by a stroke to leave them both at nine-under 135 in the battle for golf's richest top prize.

Four shots back at 139 were US Open champion Ernie Els, Nick Price of Zimbabwe and Germany's Bernhard Langer, while Jesper Parnevik of Sweden repeated his first round 70 to lie in sixth place at 140.

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie shot a 68, 10 strokes better than his first round, to join British Open champion Justin Leonard of the United States and Nick Faldo at two-over 146.

American Mark O'Meara, who fired a 71, was a shot back at 147 along with Ian Woosnam, with another American, Tom Lehman, bringing up the rear after a second straight 74 for 148, four over par.

Mickelson, who held the overnight lead after an opening 67, played with Love in the last pairing and faced an afternoon breeze that made things tricky on the back nine.

"I was hitting the ball well, although I did play a few sloppy shots towards the end of the day when I felt a little tired," he said.

Love made three bogeys but also fired eight birdies, mostly after long drives and iron shots that allowed him to handle the longer holes. "It would have been a great round but for a few silly mistakes," he said, referring to two greens he three-putted. "In the end I was happy to keep pace with Phil."

Els, who lost a play-off to Montgomerie for last year's title, was disappointed after a 70 that included three birdies and one dropped shot at the 11th.

"I was a bit angry with myself because I played better from tee to green today but didn't really get the score I wanted," said the only South African in the field. "I would have hoped to have been a little closer to these guys, and now I'm going to need a low round either tomorrow or Sunday. And this is a tough course to go low on."

Million Dollar Challenge (at Sun City, South Africa): Second round: 135 - P Mickelson (USA) 67 68, D Love III (USA) 68 67; 139 - N Price (Zim) 71 68, B Langer (Ger) 69 70, E Els (Rsa) 69 70; 140 - J Parnevik (Swe) 70 70; 146 - C Montgomerie (Sco) 78-68, J Leonard (USA) 74-72, N Faldo (Eng) 73-73; 147 - M O'Meara (USA) 76-71, I Woosnam (Wal) 74-73; 148 - T Lehman (USA) 74 74.

Richard Coughlan is in a strong position on six under par at the halfway stage of the USPGA Tour School at the Greenleaf Resort, Florida.

After completing a six-under-par, rain-interrupted second round of 66 yesterday morning, he went on to shoot a one-under-par 70 on the South course in the afternoon.

Coughlan was placed 10th after opening rounds of 73 and 66 and remained in a qualifying position on 209 for 54 holes. Keith Nolan completed a second round of 70 yesterday morning to be 33rd at that stage, but he did not finish his third round until late last night.

Aideen Rogers and Maureen Madill qualified from the women's European Tour school at Aroeira, Portugal yesterday. Rogers, who shot a 77 for 298, and Madill, a 74 for 300, were both well inside the 309 and better required to earn tour cards for next year. Ireland's other representative Tracey Eakin had a disappointing day finishing with a 79 for 312. American Laura Philo, who led from the opening round, was the top qualifier despite a moderate final round of 76. Philo won by one stroke from French challenger Ludivine Kreutz.