Casey Jarvis opens up two shot lead ahead of final day at the Dunhill

Casey Jarvis, the rising young golfing star from South Africa, takes a two-stroke lead into tomorrow’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship final round.

Jarvis, 23, shot a seven under par 65 on the Old Course to move to the front of a chasing pack headed by Englishman Matthew Jordan and Poland’s Adrian Meronk.

“Every golfer dreams of taking a lead into a Sunday’s play at the Old Course, and I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it,” said Jarvis.

“I know the pressure will be there; it’s just about managing it. But I’m looking forward to walking these fairways in the lead and I’m just going to give it my all.”

On a day of low scoring on all three courses, Jarvis began his round with a spectacular eagle on his opening hole, the par four 10th. His second shot approach spun back into the cup and Jarvis added five birdies in a superb exhibition of Links golf that took him to 18 under par for the tournament.

Matt Fitzpatrick birdied the 18th hole at the Old Course to cling on to his dream of winning a second Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The 2022 US Open champion, who came into the tournament on the back of victory in last week’s Open de France in Paris, shot a third round 66 to stay within six shots of leader Jarvis.

"I played great and holed some putts,” said Fitzpatrick. “There were lots of flags in the centre of the greens and you could be aggressive, so it was just a case of trying to keep pushing and try to go as low as possible. If the weather tomorrow is a bit up and down and you throw in a low one, then you never know what can happen.”

Fitzpatrick is one of nine players on 12 under par, with a further six players placed between Jarvis and that larger group, so there are still a lot of potential challengers for the title if Jarvis falters.

Meronk was highly delighted with his 63 at Kingsbarns and is loving his return to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – the tournament at which his professional career began 10 years ago.

“I can’t believe how time flies, but this is a great event and I’m really happy to be back here and in a good position going into Sunday,” he said.

England’s Matthew Jordan, level with Meronk in second place on 16 under par, shot 66 at Kingsbarns and said growing up with Links golf means he feels comfortable in this event.

Jordan also paid tribute to his amateur partner Piers Morgan, the larger-than-life broadcaster and journalist. “He’s like an entertainer and with some of the long waits on some holes it’s great to be able to have fun and a bit of banter with him. Yes, it’s helped to relax me, I think!”

Belgium’s Thomas Detry is in fourth, on 15 under par following a 65 at St Andrews, while Danes Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard are a further shot back after, respectively, rounds of 63 at Kingsbarns and 67 on the Old Course.

Sepp Straka, the Austrian and Ryder Cup player, put together a magnificent 64 at St Andrews and is lurking on 13 under.

And Scottish favourite MacIntyre, cheered on by large crowds on every hole, is on 12 under after having to settle for a 68 when he left an eagle putt just short on the iconic 18th green.

Keane frontman Tom Chaplin is Meronk’s partner, and the pair are joint leaders of the Team Championship with Will Ahmed and Scotland’s David Law.

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is a celebration of Links golf, played over the Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, three of the greatest Links courses in the world, culminating in the final day on the Old Course on Sunday.

With a prize fund of US$5 million, the Alfred Dunhill Links incorporates two separate competitions - an Individual Professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and the Team Championship in which the professionals are paired with amateur golfers which creates a unique atmosphere.

Among the celebrity amateurs playing are Michael Peña, Ronan Keating, Tom Chaplin, Dave Farrell, Mike Rutherford, Huey Lewis, Piers Morgan, Peter Jones, Gareth Bale, James Milner, Ruud Gullit, Kelly Slater, Steve Redgrave, A.P. McCoy, Lord Ian Botham, Kevin Pietersen, Allan Lamb, Mark Nicholas, Schalk Burger Snr, Morne du Plessis and Rob Louw.

This is the 25th year of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and during that time, many millions have been raised for charity. In June 2011 the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation was established as the official Foundation of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The Foundation is committed to developing young amateur golfers in Scotland and South Africa and funds scholarships for postgraduate students attending the University of St Andrews, and the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation, which refurbishes and preserves historical monuments in the town.