Gullane, Scotland ….

Graeme McDowell delighted in sorting out a putting glitch and take ‘Route 66’ on the second day of the Aberdeen Standard Investment Scottish Open at Gullane.

McDowell recorded just 26 putts to move just inside the top-40 with a five-under par tally and be trailing eight shots behind England’s Robert Rock (63) who heads the field on 13-under par.

Defending Gullane champion, Rickie Fowler posted the same score as McDowell to be well-placed at 10-under.

McDowell spent plenty of time on the practice putting green following Thursday’s one-under par 69 and it paid dividends as ‘G Mac’ digs deep to clinch one of three spots into next week’s Open.

With two rounds to play there is some 15 players ahead of McDowell also vying for a Carnoustie tee time.

McDowell capped his round chipping-in for an eagle ‘3’ at the par-5 second and this after taking birdie at the first while he also birdied 10 and 11 ahead of seven closing pars.

“It was ‘Route 66’ today and it was a good day’s work while I putted a little better”, he said.

“I did some work on my putting yesterday afternoon and I found a little something that has been bugging me for a couple of months.

“As a result, my pace on the greens was good while the game is in good shape but I do need to make a big run on the weekend if I need to get to where I want to be, and that’s to Carnoustie next week.

“This then was an important cut to make as the weather is suppose to turn and anybody who is in five, six or seven from the lead and with two rounds to go can mount a charge.

“So, it was a good cut to make and it’s given me the chance now to make a wee charge on the weekend.”

Paul Dunne enjoyed both joy and a lot of afternoon anxiety after he posted a level par 70 to remain at three-under par but only to learn near 8pm that the cut had been made at four-under par.

Dunn ended his round at lunch to be greeted by his girlfriend he said he hadn’t see for a ‘few’ weeks but with the Greystones golfer glued to the Tour’s scoring website to ascertain if he’d done enough to play all four rounds.

The cut-off mark hovered between three-under and four-under all afternoon before being confirmed at four and meaning Dunne now has two further and unwanted practice rounds before teeing-up next week in what will be his fourth Open.

Dunne’s second day was a mix of four birdies and also four bogeys.

“I just played terrible on the front nine and it just came from nowhere”, he said.

“It was just sloppy stuff and I wasn’t really concentrating, and then found myself one-over through seven holes and given the front nine is so easy.

“I was just chasing it from there and it was nice to birdie 17 as that gave me a chance to make the cut and play the last two days before heading to Carnoustie.

“The game feels really good and while I have had a lot of golf of late, and I do feel a little tired, it was just one of those days and I am not going to lose any sleep”.

The Open winning duo of Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington also will head to Carnoustie early after missing the Gullane cut.

Clarke had raced to four-under through six holes to be three-under par in total before the inward nine jumped-up to bit the Ulsterman to bogey three of his closing six holes in a score of 69 for a level par total.

Harrington returns to the venue of his maiden Major Championship success managing just three birdies over his two Gullane rounds for scores of 73 and 71,

Joining the Irish duo with the weekend off was Phil Mickelson who will head to Carnoustie early after scores of 70 and 69.