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Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: Matthew Jordan jumps into lead

By Matt Coles

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Matthew Jordan of England lines up a putt on the 17th hole during Day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course on September 27, 2019 in St Andrews, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Matthew Jordan of England lines up a putt on the 17th hole during Day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course on September 27, 2019 in St Andrews, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images) /
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England’s Matthew Jordan leads the way after two rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, thanks to a second round of 64 at St. Andrews.

Matthew Jordan announced himself to the world at the Betfred British Masters earlier this year, when he set a new course record at Hillside on the opening day. This week, the Englishman has a one-shot lead going into the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, thanks to a 64 on the Old Course, which followed an opening day 66 at Kingsbarns.

The 23-year-old shot a front nine of 29, thanks to an eagle two at the par-4 3rd. That started an amazing run, in which he then birdied his next five holes.

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Matthew Jordan also sank a birdie putt on the 13th to move to eight-under-par for the day, to to -14 for the tournament as a whole going into his round at Carnoustie on Saturday.

He leads by one from a trio of players. They include Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren, who carded a ten-under-par round of 62 at Kingsbarns on Friday afternoon.

The Swede went out in 31 and came back in 31, with five birdies either side of the turn. His bogey-free round moves him into a tie for 2nd with two round to play.

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Lagergren sits alongside England’s Matthew Southgate and the leading Scotsman in Calum Hill. The Scot followed up his 66 at Kingsbarns with a 65 at the Old Course on Friday to put himself right in contention.

Justin Rose and Jordan Smith make it four Englishman inside the top ten, while Richie Ramsay and Russell Knox complete a trio of Scotsman, with the four men all sitting at -12, two shots back.

Rose carded a 64 at Kingsbarns on the second day to make his move up the leaderboard, with the group also having New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and France’s Victor Perez for company in a tie for 5th.

The leading American at the halfway stage is Tony Finau. The American Ryder Cup star has carded rounds of 67 and 66 to sit in a tie for 11th, just three shots off the lead.

Overnight leader Justin Walters could not match his 63 from the opening day. The South African could only card a 71 at Carnoustie, but he remains in contention for the title, sitting just four shots off the pace with two rounds to play.

Lucas Bjerregard, Tommy Fleetwood and Alex Noren are among those at -9, while a 66 from Rory McIlroy on the second day saw the four-time major winner move up the rankings into a tie for 33rd at -8, alongside the likes of Matthew Fitzpatrick and Luke Donald.

Danny Willett and Lee Westwood are among those at -6, while British Open Champion Shane Lowry recovered from his opening round of 73 to shoot a 66, moving himself into the red at -5.

150 of the 168 golfers playing this week are now under par, with the cut line expected to be very low after the third round, in this unique event.

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Meanwhile, in the pro-am team event, Scott Jamieson and musician Cian Foley are one of two teams at -21. The pair carded a round of 60, thanks to a handicap albatross two from Foley on the par-5 12th at Carnoustie.

They are joined by Berry Henson and Liam Botham, who have gone bogey-free through the opening two days. Overnight leaders Shane Warne and Ryan Fox now sit two shots back at -19.

Leaderboard:

(S = St. Andrews, C = Carnoustie, K = Kingsbarns)

1 (-14): Matthew Jordan (S, ENG)

T2 (-13): Calum Hill (S, SCO), Joakim Lagergren (K, SWE), Matthew Southgate (K, ENG)

T5 (-12): Victor Perez (C, FRA), Jordan Smith (C, ENG), Justin Rose (K, ENG), Richie Ramsay (S, SCO), Ryan Fox (C, NZL), Russell Knox (C, SCO)

Selected Others:

T11 (-11): Tony Finau (K, USA)

T17 (-10): Justin Walters (C, RSA), Tyrrell Hatton (K, ENG)

T21 (-9): Lucas Bjerregard (K, DEN), Alex Noren (K, SWE), Tommy Fleetwood (K, ENG)

T33 (-8): Matthew Fitzpatrick (K, ENG), Rory McIlroy (K, NIR), Luke Donald (K, ENG)

T60 (-6): Danny Willett (K, ENG), Lee Westwood (K, ENG), Adrian Otaegui (S, ESP)

T79 (-5): Shane Lowry (K, IRL), Jon Rahm (K, ESP)

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