ST ANDREWS — Defending champion Robert MacIntyre took advantage of calm conditions at Kingsbarns to shoot a seven-under 65 and charge into contention at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, moving to eight under and three shots behind halfway leader Casey Jarvis of South Africa on 11 under.
Jarvis leads on 11 under, one clear of a trio on 10 under featuring England's Matthew Jordan, South Africa's M.J. Daffue and Spain's Rocco Repetto Taylor. Jordan matched MacIntyre's 65 with six birdies and an eagle at Carnoustie, while Repetto Taylor posted the best round of the day with a 64 at Kingsbarns. England's Sam Bairstow sits one further back on nine under.
"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 started the day on one under after opening at Carnoustie, made four birdies on the front nine, dropped a shot on the 11th, then 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," he added. "[I'll] Just keep doing what I'm doing, shooting at pins, trusting the instincts."
MacIntyre shares ninth place on eight under with compatriot Michael Stewart, American Brooks Koepka and Belgium's Thomas Detry. Stewart, the surprise first-round leader and world No. 979, shot 71 at Kingsbarns to stay level with MacIntyre, while Koepka carded a 67 to join the group. "Hopefully he can get that bit of luck over the weekend to get on here [DP World Tour] full-time," MacIntyre said of Stewart. "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." Scotland's Scott Jamieson and Connor Syme are on seven under, with England's Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood two shots behind Koepka on six under.
England's Luke Donald and Austria's Sepp Straka are on five under, while Lee Westwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Justin Rose are on four under. Westwood shot 69 at Kingsbarns in his first DP World Tour appearance in nearly four years, while fellow LIV golfer Ian Poulter went out in 41 at Carnoustie on his way to a 76 to sit four over. MacIntyre will tee off at St Andrews on Saturday for the third round.