Mansell grabs halfway lead at Alfred Dunhill Links

England’s Richard Mansell produced a fighting 68 in challenging conditions at St Andrews today to take the lead on 10-under-par at the halfway mark in the 21st Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

He goes into tomorrow’s third round leading by two shots from Sweden’s Alex Noren and is a further shot ahead of Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard Moller and Frenchman Antoine Rozner.
While the local galleries applauded the men at the top of the leaderboard, they can be forgiven for looking a little further back to Bob MacIntyre, the great Scottish hope, who toughed it out in rain and wind for a two-under-par 70 at Kingsbarns to be just four behind.
MacIntyre, the winner of this month’s Italian Open, now hopes to become the first Scot to win the Alfred Dunhill Links since Colin Montgomerie in 2005.
Mansell, 27, has had an excellent 2022 season, qualifying for both the 150th Open championship at St Andrews and the US Open and recording five top-ten finishes on the DP World Tour.
He moves on to Carnoustie tomorrow, the toughest course of the three, and said: “Just to be in that position is a really good thing. Still, 36 holes to play, now Carnoustie. I’m really happy. Not much more to say.”
Having already played Carnoustie, MacIntyre now takes on the more welcoming St Andrews. He said: “I’m playing well. My game is in great shape and I’m just going to enjoy myself, keep smiling and hopefully keep doing the same.
“The best attitude got you through today, and I was playing with somebody I get on really well within Tyrrell Hatton, and we just had a laugh!”
The Team Championship remains delicately poised heading into the weekend, with a two-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.

The all-American team of pro Johannes Veerman and his amateur partner, entrepreneur Will Ahmed, share an overall score of 19-under-par with South African player Christiaan Burke and Canadian businessman Bruce Mitchell.
Swedish pro Kristoffer Broberg and his amateur partner from South Africa, Brand de Villiers, are one shot further back on 18-under-par.
Shot of the day came from Eddie Pepperell, who had a hole-in-one at the 168-yard 8th at Kingsbarns.
The Championship is a celebration of Links golf, played over the Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
With a prize fund of US$5 million, the Alfred Dunhill Links incorporates two separate competitions - an individual professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and the Team Championship in which the professionals are paired with amateur golfers which creates a unique atmosphere.
For the first three days, entry is FREE, tickets are not needed. Only tickets for the final day, Sunday, 2 October on the Old Course, must be purchased.  There will be no ticket sales on the gate, tickets can be purchased in advance via the following link: www.alfreddunhilllinks.com/tickets/