Jacquelin Takes over Lead at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, McIlroy Rebounds with 67


Raphael Jacquelin soared into the lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland after carding a 70 at Kingbarns. The European Tour event uses Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St. Andrews for the venues in the pro-am-style tournament.

On a day when wind and rain made scoring more difficult than in Thursday's relatively benign first round, the 40-year-old from Lyon, managed to post five birdies and three bogeys to reach 9-under 135, a stroke ahead of two Irishmen - Shane Lowry (70 at St. Andrews) and Padraig Harrington (70 at Kingsbarns), England's Oliver Wilson (72 at Kingsbarns) and fellow Frenchman Alexander Levy (68 at Carnoustie).

Wilson, the first-round leader after a 64 at Carnoustie, had two birdies and a pair of bogeys in his even-par outing.

"I'm pretty happy, especially the way I finished," said Jacquelin, who birdied the final two holes. The most recent of his four European Tour titles came at the 2013 Open de Espaņa.

"I birdied 17 and 18, so it was good before having dinner and going to rest," Jacquelin added. "I didn't play that well, and not as well as yesterday, but it was not that easy, a bit of wind, a bit of rain, a bit of cold as well.

"I feel good - it's a long weekend, a lot of golf to play, so the game of golf it's not that easy."

Lowry, who tied for third in last year's tournament, was pleased with his performance given the conditions. "To be honest, the way I played to shoot 2-under was quite good," he told the European Tour's website. "The forecast was pretty bad today and everyone was expecting the worst, but it wasn't actually that bad.

"It played quite easy toward the end and I could have picked up a couple more, but I'm happy with the position I'm in with two rounds to go. Hopefully I can go out to Carnoustie tomorrow and hopefully the weather is not too bad over there and I can shoot a decent score."

No. 1-ranked Rory McIlroy rebounded from an opening 73 at Carnoustie, firing a 67 at Kingsbarns that included an eagle on the par-5 16th, four birdies and two bogeys. McIlroy is playing this week with his father Gerry.

"I think the eagle on 16 kick-started something for me," said the 25-year-old Northern Irishman, who began play on the 10th tee. "I just went from there, started to knock a few putts in. I felt like I struck the ball pretty well for the first couple of days, but just to see a few putts roll in sort of gave me a little bit of confidence and played well after that.

He's looking forward to the last 36 holes, including Sunday's final round at the site of the 2015 Open Championship. "It would mean an awful lot to win at St Andrews. But if I didn't, I wouldn't mind waiting until July next year."

Defending champion David Howell of England had a 72 at Kingsbarns and enters the weekend tied for 40th at 2-under 142.

McIlroy earned two and a half points at Gleneagles for the victorious Europeans in last week's Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland, and several of his teammates are also playing this week. After playing the first round at Carnoustie, the group was all at Kingsbarns Friday

Scotsman Stephen Gallacher shot a second straight 68, moving him into a tie for sixth at 6-under 138; Frenchman Victor Dubuisson had a 69, taking him into a share of fourth at 140; team captain Paul McGinley posted a 70 (he's now at 2-under), and Germany's Martin Kaymer, who opened with a 74, recorded a 72 at Kingsbarns.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2014/tournamentid=2014078/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y.