Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – round two
-11 C Jarvis (RSA); -10 M Jordan (Eng), M. J. Daffue (RSA), R Repetto Taylor (Esp)
Selected others: -9 S Bairstow (Eng); -8 R MacIntyre (Sco), M Stewart (Sco), B Koepka (US), T Detry (Bel) -7 S Jamieson (Sco), C Syme (Sco) -6 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng); – 5 L Donald (Eng) S Straka (Aus); -4 L Westwood (Eng), T Hatton (Eng), J Rose (Eng) +4 I Poulter (Eng)
Defending champion Robert MacIntyre took advantage of calm conditions at Kingsbarns to shoot 65 and charge into contention at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The Scot’s round of seven under left him in a tie for ninth place, three strokes behind halfway leader Casey Jarvis of South Africa.
England’s Matthew Jordan matched MacIntyre’s score of 72 with six birdies and an eagle at Carnoustie to sit on 10 under for the tournament.
Spaniard Rocco Repetto Taylor is on the same mark, with his 64 at Kingsbarns the best round of the day.
“I was cleaning up the holes where I felt like you need to clean up, just kept it simple,” MacIntyre told BBC Scotland.
“We got really got lucky with the weather, the last hole was the only one we had with the wind blowing up.”
MacIntyre, who began the day on one under after his opening day at Carnoustie, reeled off four birdies on the front nine.
The Ryder Cup star was frustrated to drop a shot on the 11th but responded with four gains over the next five holes.
“I got wild with the bogey, but it spurs me on, three birdies in a row,” added MacIntyre as he prepares to tee off at St Andrews on Saturday.
“[I’ll] Just keep doing what I’m doing, shooting at pins, trusting the instincts.”
Michael Stewart, the surprise first-round leader, was level with his compatriot after a 71 at Kingsbarns.
“Hopefully he can get that bit of luck over the weekend to get on here [DP World Tour] full-time,” MacIntyre said of the world 979.
“I know the bits of luck I’ve had in my career that have got me to the position I’m in.
“His chipping and putting, I’m not sure there’s many better on the whole planet.”
American Brooks Koepka shot a 67 to join the Scottish pair on eight under, while English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick sit two shots behind the five-time Major champion.
In their first DP World Tour appearances in nearly four years, Lee Westwood got to four under after a 69 at Kingsbarns, but fellow LIV golfer Ian Poulter went out in 41 at Carnoustie on his way to 76 which left him four over.
