McGinley makes Dunhill move

Ireland's Paul McGinley shot a second day round of 64

Back-to-back eagles helped move Ireland's Paul McGinley into pole position for the £550,000 jackpot at the Dunhill Links championship.

McGinley sank a 146-yard eight-iron on the 464-yard fourth hole at St Andrews and followed it with a drive and five-iron to 25 feet on the 568-yard next.

The Dubliner finished with an eight-under-par 64 and so reached halfway in the £3.5m tournament on the 13-under-par mark of 141.

McGinley is partnering actor Kyle MacLachlan in the pro-am team event being run concurrently on three courses, but said: "I know what is at stake here for the Order of Merit and world ranking points.

"I know how much we are playing for and what you can achieve by playing well. I don't regard it as a pro-am - it's a tournament for me."

18 greens in regulation

With a round at Carnoustie still to come before the field is cut to the top 60, McGinley stands two ahead of Londoner Brian Davis and Zimbabwe's Tony Johnstone.

The Irishman's day began at Kingsbarns, the other course being used, because he was among the players unable to finish on Thursday due to fog.

He immediately birdied the long 16th and parred the final two holes for a 67, then took a leaf out of Tiger Woods' book from The Open last year by avoiding every single bunker on the Old Course.

"I also hit 18 greens in regulation, although I know that's not saying much at St Andrews because of the size of the greens. But the two eagles were the bonus - they turned a 68 into a 64."

Following the controversy over the handicap given to country and western singer Clay Walker on the first day - he was cut from 11 to seven - it emerged that an amazing total of 39 amateurs had been re-assessed by the championship committee.

Team event

MacLachlan was among those affected and he was slashed from 14 to nine, although neither he nor partner McGinley knew that when they began.

"He is not a member of a club at the moment," said McGinley. "His old handicap was 14, but I would say 11 or maybe 12 is his proper handicap."

England cricket captain Nasser Hussain still has a chance to win the team event with young Welshman Jamie Donaldson, but said: "I am definitely a 14-handicapper - Jamie will vouch for that."

Rookie professional Donaldson, invited to play only last week after a season which has already seen him finish fourth in the Wales Open and win two events on the secondary Challenge Tour, had a 66 on his 26th birthday and shares fourth place individually with Padraig Harrington.

Ernie Els, joint overnight leader after a sparkling 65 at Carnoustie, added only a 70 at Kingsbarns and fell four behind.

Retief Goosen still holds the whip hand in the Order of Merit race, which he can clinch this weekend.

The South African had his second successive 69, this time at Kingsbarns, but Darren Clarke, £460,000 behind at the top of the table, had two eagles on the same course and with a 67 is only one further back.

Leaderboard

13 under - Paul McGinley
11 under - Tony Johnstone (Zim)
Brian Davis
10 under - Jamie Donaldson
Padraig Harrington
9 under - Ernie Els (Rsa)
Anders Forsbrand (Swe)
David Howell
Selected others:
6 under - Retief Goosen (Rsa)
5 under - Darren Clarke
Colin Montgomerie
1 over - Ian Woosnam
5 over - Lee Westwood

Team event:

21 under - Lucas Parsons/Jeremy Lambourne
Padraig Harrington/Dermot Desmond
20 under - Brian Davis/Michael Wang
19 under - Jamie Donaldson/Nasser Hussain
John Bickerton/Alistair Currie