Casey Jarvis has enhanced his growing reputation as a rising force in the game as he goes in search of his third DP World Tour victory this year while also leading the charge for more South African glory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Jarvis’s 67 at Kingsbarns on Friday included six birdies in seven holes to the turn and lifted him into a one-stroke lead on 11 under par.
He’s now looking to add to a breakthrough season in which he won back-to-back DP World Tour titles in the Magical Kenya Open and Investec South African Open early this year, and then finished tied sixth in The Open.
“I played really nicely. I felt the whole day, I hit the ball really solid. My approach play was really good. Luckily I rolled in a few putts in my front nine, and I just felt really in control of my game out there,” said Jarvis.
Jarvis is looking to become only the second South African winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after Branden Grace in 2012, and he’s relishing the prospect of a possible victory on the famous Old Course on Sunday.
“You watch The Open growing up as a kid and now to be in contention in a tournament like this – yeah, I’m just looking forward to it and I can’t wait to get out there over the weekend.”
Just one shot behind him, countryman MJ Daffue will be hoping to achieve the same as he heads into the weekend on 10 under par alongside Spain’s Rocco Repetto Taylor and England’s Matthew Jordan.
“It’s great to be here with so many South Africans. It’s a fun week. It’s one big family and we’re a tight-knit community,” Daffue said after a second-round 68 on the Old Course.
“My game has been trending in a good way and I love links golf. It’s been one-and-a-half years of grinding and nothing was really showing, and then all of a sudden things started coming together and my confidence started growing. Now I feel like I’m playing every tournament to try and win.”
The South African challenge is further bolstered by the group of Daniel Cronje, Brandon Stone, Daniel van Tonder, JC Ritchie and Hennie du Plessis four strokes off the lead.