Jordan is a shot in the middle of the stage after having scored a 64 at the Old Course on Friday Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns (second round) -14 M Jordan (Eng); -13 C Hill (Sco), M Southgate (Eng), J Lagergren (Swe); -12 R Ramsay (Sco), R Knox (Sco), R Fox (NZ), J Smith (Eng), J Rose (Eng), V Perez (Fra) Selected others: -11 T Finau (USA), P Waring (Scary); -10 T Hatton (Eng); -9 T. Fleetwood (Eng), S. Jamieson (Sco); -8 R McIlroy (NIre), L Donald (Eng); -5 S Lowry (Ire) Leaderboard
Matthew Jordan of England says that a milestone 59 "occurred to me" as he ascended to a one-off lead on the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Jordan was on track for only the second sub-60 score on the European Tour after the first nine of St Andrews & Old Course in just 29 shots.
But he settled for an eight-under-par 64 for half a total of 14 under.
Fellow Challenge Tour pro, Scotland & Calum Hill, is in second place with Matthew Southgate and Joakim Lagergren.
"I had my friends here and they were quick to tell me they wanted the same on the back nine," said 23-year-old Jordan, who ran an eagle on the third, followed by five straight birds .
"It was in my head, but I really knew the rain was coming in too."
Jordan became professional a year ago after a great amateur career in which he finished fifth in the world rankings, claim a nine-fold victory in the Lytham Trophy and also win the St Andrews Links Trophy in 2017.
Victory on the Challenge Tour in Italy at the end of June, Jordan earned £ 43,000 and of course he won on his European Tour. card for next season.
All this and more, however, will be arranged if the world number 292 of Hoylake can lift the title on Sunday and claim the first prize of £ 650,000.
"I had another invitation and I absolutely love this place," he added. "I will try to make the best of it now that I am in this position."
Hill & # 39; s two victories on the Challenge Tour this season have effectively secured his promotion for the European Tour, but the 24-year-old Scot knows that he and Jordan are taking the most difficult course in round three.
"Whatever my position is at the moment, it is probably slightly higher than those started at Carnoustie," Hill said after a bogey-free 65 at St Andrews.
62 by Swede Lagergren in Kingsbarns was the lowest lap of the day, with Justin Rose having to settle for a 64 at the same location after covering the front nine in just 28 strokes with six birdies and an eagle.
Rose stumbled on the back nine with a double bogey on the 11th, but ended the day only two shots of the lead, alongside fellow countryman Jordan Smith and Scottish pair Russell Knox and Richie Ramsay.
"I knew I was going low but was super relaxed," Rose said, "sometimes you can go your own way if you walk really well."
World number two Rory McIlroy six shots ahead after a 66 at Kinsgbarns.