Casey Jarvis Leads Alfred Dunhill Links Championship After 36 Holes

• Casey Jarvis shot a second-round 67 to lead the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at 11-under.
• Rocco Repetto Taylor, MJ Daffue and Matthew Jordan share second place at 10-under.
• Defending champion Robert MacIntyre and Brooks Koepka are three shots behind.

Casey Jarvis birdied his final hole to take a one-shot lead after Friday’s second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The South African followed his opening 66 at Carnoustie with a 5-under 67 at Kingsbarns to reach 11-under heading into the weekend.

The 23-year-old is chasing his third DP World Tour title of the season after back-to-back  earlier this year, at the Magical Kenya Open and the Investec South African Open Championship.

Jarvis made seven birdies and two bogeys at Kingsbarns, including three successive gains at the 12th, 13th and 14th. He reached 11-under before a bogey at the 3rd brought him back into a share of the lead, but his birdie finish restored the outright advantage.

“I played really nicely,” he said. “I felt the whole day, hit the ball really solid. My approach play was really good. Luckily rolled in a few putts in my front nine, which is the back nine, and I just felt really in control of my game out there.”

Jarvis has missed the cut in three of his previous four appearances in the tournament. He now heads to the Old Course at St Andrews with two rounds there ahead of him.

“It’s nice to have the Old Course for two rounds in a row now. You watch the Open growing up as a kid and now to be in contention in a tournament like this,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to it and I can’t wait to get out there over the weekend.”

Casey Jarvis goes out in 31 (-5) at Kingsbarns 👑

The South African is searching for his third win of the season after winning in back-to-back weeks in February 📈#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/ZZk7rhYxyh

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 2, 2026

Three Challengers Chasing a First Title

Rocco Repetto Taylor produced the lowest round of the day, an 8-under 64 at Kingsbarns, to join MJ Daffue and Matthew Jordan at 10-under. All three are seeking their first DP World Tour victory.

The Spaniard sits 159th on the Race to Dubai Rankings and has missed nine of his last 11 cuts, making this a valuable opportunity as his remaining starts become increasingly important.

“I’ve been playing some great golf for the last couple two months. It just hadn’t clicked,” said Repetto Taylor. “Coming into this week making the most of the starts I have left and trying to enjoy myself.”

Jordan’s 7-under 65 at Carnoustie was five shots better than his previous best round there in this event, recorded in 2024. The Englishman opened with back-to-back birdies, added an eagle at the par-5 14th and reached 11-under before a final-hole bogey.

Jordan has already finished runner-up at both the Danish Golf Championship and Nexo Championship this year. He also has two top-ten finishes in this tournament, having tied fifth in 2019 and tenth in 2024.

“Really good. Even the bogey on last, the six-footer, kind of felt good in the end, as well. Really, really pleasing as you’d expect,” he said.

Daffue recovered from finding water and making bogey at the first at St Andrews to return a 4-under round. Birdies at the 5th, 7th, 14th, 15th and 18th built on his opening 66.

The 37-year-old South African has won twice on the HotelPlanner Tour this season and arrived after finishing tied fourth at the Open de Portugal two weeks ago.

“Disappointing starting the round like that, but I’m pretty proud of how patient I was because I only missed one green since then for the whole round, and so I had a lot of looks,” said Daffue.

Ivan Cantero, Sam Bairstow, Niklas Nørgaard and Ollie Schniederjans sit a shot further back at 9-under. Defending champion Robert MacIntyre and Brooks Koepka are among the chasing pack at 8-under, three behind Jarvis.

Team Competition

Daffue and amateur partner Paul Harris share the team lead at 21-under with Daniel Hillier and Craig Heatley, who combined for a 59 at Kingsbarns on Friday. Heatley won the competition alongside Fred Couples in 2004.

Jarvis and his amateur partner Hickman Bacon are one shot behind the leaders at 20-under, alongside four other teams.

Related: Sebastian Friedrichsen Wins Open de Portugal With Record 28-Under Total

The Dane’s first HotelPlanner Tour victory moved him into the Road to Mallorca top-10 as the national open returned to PGA Aroeira Lisboa after three decades.

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