Peter O’Malley
St. Andrews, Scotland (Sports Network) – Australian Peter O’Malley fired an eight-under 64 Friday to move into a share of the lead after two rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
O’Malley completed 36 holes at 11-under-par 133 and he was joined in the lead by Nick Dougherty (66) and Hennie Otto (67). O’Malley’s 64 matched the course record at Carnoustie.
The Dunhill is played much like the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour with professionals and amateurs playing together for three rounds. The cut will be made after Saturday’s third round.
Players rotate over the Old Course at St. Andrews Golf Club, Carnoustie Golf Club and Kingsbarns Golf Links for the first three rounds, before the final round is contested on the Old Course.
O’Malley and Dougherty both played Carnoustie on Friday, while Otto played at St. Andrews.
Ernie Els posted a 67 at St. Andrews. That moved him to minus-10 and a share of fourth place. He stands alongside Rafael Echenique (67), Gonzalo Fernandez- Castano (67), Kenneth Ferrie (65) and Anton Haig (66).
O’Malley got off to a hot start as he birdied the first three holes. After a pair of pars, O’Malley moved to seven-under with a birdie on the par-five sixth.
Around the turn, O’Malley caught fire once again. He followed a birdie on the 10th with birdies at 11 and 12 to move within one of the lead. He briefly took the lead by himself with back-to-back birdies from the 14th.
However, O’Malley tripped to a bogey on 16 to slip back into a share of the lead. He parred the final two holes to end there.
The day did not get off to a good start for O’Malley, though. He was on his way to the course and realized he forgot to put his clubs in the car.
"As soon as I heard a noise in the [trunk] I knew I hadn’t put the clubs in the car," explained O’Malley. "So I rang my wife and her phone wasn’t on, so I rang the lady at the guest house we are staying at.
"She put my clubs in her car and met me halfway between where I was and the house. I still got to the course about an hour before my tee time so still had time to warm up as usual."
Dougherty started on the 10th tee at Carnoustie and he collected his first birdie on the par-five 12th. He took advantage of the next par five, No. 14, as he made eagle there to jump to eight-under.
The Englishman came right back with a birdie on the 15th. Dougherty reeled off eight straight pars from there. He claimed a share of the lead thanks to birdies at the sixth and eighth.
"There were about four or five putts that I would have put my last dollar on to go in, but I am happy with that today," stated Dougherty.
Otto also played the back nine first and he birdied the first three holes he played at St. Andrews. From there, Otto made 10 consecutive pars to remain behind the leaders.
The South African birdied the par-five fifth and made it two in a row with a birdie on six. Otto parred the last three share the second-round lead.
"What pleased me most today was that it was a bogey-free round," Otto admitted. "I think the only other time I’ve not had a bogey in a round on the Old Course was when I was an amateur so for that reason this must go down as one of the best I have ever played here."
First-round leader Steve Webster managed a two-under 70 Friday. He slid into a share of ninth at nine-under-par 135. He was joined there by Thomas Levet and Jeev Milkha Singh. Six more players, including defending champion Padraig Harrington, are one shot back at minus-eight.
Source: www.tsn.ca
