Tyrrell Hatton produced another fine round on the second day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland on Friday as he looked to win the title for a third time.
The Englishman shot a second-round 70 at a windy Kingsbarns after a superb 64 at the notorious Carnoustie course on Thursday in an event that is played at three different venues.
Hatton heads into the third round on 10 under par, one shot clear of compatriot Daniel Gavins and two ahead of 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett and China’s Li Haotong as he heads towards the Old Course at St. Andrews, ‘the home of golf’.
For Hatton, his first two rounds in Scotland this week came after he was involved in Europe’s 19-9 hammering by the United States in the Ryder Cup.
“I’m happy with how I scored,” said Hatton. “It was really tough out there. It was quite easy to make mistakes, very easy to hit bad shots.
“I guess I was fortunate at times where when I did hit a bad shot, I didn’t end up in too much of a dodgy position. I was able to get it on to the green.
“I’m happy with how I fought out there today in tough conditions.”
Hatton, starting at the 10th hole, went to the turn in level par with three birdies and three bogeys but gained shots on his back nine to go to the top of the leaderboard.
Elsewhere, Gavins shot 68 at Carnoustie, while Willett signed for a 69 at Kingsbarns and Li a 72 at St Andrews to make his first cut in 14 events in 2021.
Tommy Fleetwood, a Ryder Cup team-mate of Hatton, was seven under after two rounds alongside Dane Jeff Winther, one shot clear of a group containing another 2021 Ryder Cup player in Irishman Shane Lowry, his compatriot John Murphy, Scot Ewen Ferguson and Englishman Oliver Fisher.
© Agence France-Presse
