Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin birdied his closing two holes in a round of 70 to break clear of a log jam atop of the leader board on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
The 40-year old Geneva-based Jacquelin was out on the Kingsbarns course as he looks to capture a fifth European Tour title.
Four players – the Ireland duo of Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry, also with rounds of 70, along with Frenchman Alexander Levy (68) and England’s Oliver Wilson (72) – share second place on eight under par.
At one stage late on day two of the $US 5m event as many as nine players were tied for the lead before firstly Harrington, who is looking to end a six-year winless drought, moved to eight under par ahead of Jacquelin taking the lead.
“It’s always nice to finish birdie, birdie but it was difficult out there and I don’t know why as it wasn’t that cold and it wasn’t windy with just a little rain,” he said.
“It’s a links course and they’re not always that easy.
Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin birdies the last to take a one shot lead into day three of the 2014 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
“But then I am in a nice position and right where I want to be. I played really well yesterday shooting a 65 at Carnoustie and putting really great but then today here at Kingsbarns I just didn’t get the pace of the greens.”
Harrington, who was also competing at Kingsbarns, has not tasted success on either of the main tour’s since capturing a third Major in winning the 2008 PGA Championship.
And after a World Ranking high of No. 3 in early 2009 the 43-year old has slipped to 324 in the world and revealing he has set himself the goal of qualifying for the 2016 Olympics.
“I don’t normally tell you my goals but my goal is to get back to top-15 in the world in 2006 and to qualify for the Olympics,” he said.
“That’s where I am focussed so I’ve got two years to achieve that goal, and it makes no difference where I am in the world now and I have 21 months of results counting towards achieving that.
“So I am starting at ‘ground zero’ and working my way up to becoming an Olympic athlete. That would be very special because I know if I do get back into the top-15 I would have done other good things between now and then.”
Fellow Irishman Lowry’s main goal is to move from his current 55th world ranking into the top-50 by year’s end and automatically earn a first invitation to the Masters.
Lowry continued that quest in also birding his closing two holes on the Old Course at St. Andrews after having dropped three shots from the 13th to 16th holes.
“I was very confident coming into this week after having a nice week off enjoying watching every shot in the Ryder Cup, so I was looking forward to this event for a while,” said Lowry.
“All I am trying to do is put myself into a position going into Sunday that I can attack the leader, whoever he is, or if it’s me, I can push on.”
Three players including the Scottish pair of Richie Ramsay (68) and Chris Doak (67) along with visiting American Ryan Palmer (68) share sixth place on seven under par.
Scotland’s Ryder Cup star Stephen Gallacher added a 70 to move to a share of ninth place at six under par to be the best of the four victorious Europeans competing this week.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy seemed to have shaken off the last of any lingering Ryder Cup victory hangover moving inside the top-20 with a five under par 67 and a four under total.
The four-time Major winner had been one over par for his round through six holes before he capped his round by holing a 15-foot putt for eagle at the seventh hole of his round.
In fact, McIlroy had been two over par for 24 holes and played the next dozen in six under.
“The eagle on 16 or my seventh hole kick-started something for me and I just went from there and started seeing a few more putts roll in,” he said.
“That gave me a little bit more confidence and looking at the leader board I am only five shots behind with two rounds to play.
“We now head to St. Andrews for the last two rounds so I’ve played well there before and if we do win the tournament it will be a nice 55th birthday present on Sunday for my dad.”
