David Drysdale has played over 400 events on the European Tour and is still seeking a maiden win but the Scot pushed himself into contention at the halfway stage of the weather-disrupted BMW South African Open.

While Englishman Graeme Storm surged into a one stroke lead with a fine 63 for a 12-under aggregate of 132, Drysdale came barging up the field with a neatly assembled seven-under 65 for a nine-under 135 as he moved into a share of fifth place before play was halted due to thunder and lightning.

Drysdale, who has two second place finishes to his name on the main European circuit, saw his round explode into life with a birdie on the sixth. From that point, the 41-year-old was on the offensive and he conjured an eagle on the eighth before making further gains at the ninth, 11th, 13th and 15th in a profitable push which thrust him into the title hunt.

Drysdale was joined on the 135 mark by the world No 2, Rory McIlroy, who added a four-under 68 to his opening 67. The 27-year-old started bogey, birdie, double-bogey but he steadied the ship and an eagle on the eighth led to him picking up eight shots in eight purposeful holes. McIlroy’s charge was tempered on the closing stretch, though, as he stumbled home with bogeys on 17 and 18.

At the head of the field, Storm, who lost his tour card by just £87 last season but was handed a reprieve when Patrick Reed came off the order of merit having not played the required number of events, continued to make the most of his good fortune by taking the lead with a nine-birdie round.

Clydebank’s Scott Henry, who opened with a crippling 79, was trying his best to make the cut and was six-under for his round with two holes to play while Duncan Stewart and Kirkhill amateur Craig Ross were both heading for an exit.