Jordan graduates with a 64 at St Andrews for halfway lead In Alfred Dunhill Links

- Challenge Tour player Matthew Jordan, 23, shows his maturity
- Trio of Scots Calum Hill, Russell Knox and Richie Ramsay within two shots
- Robert Rock and Westlife star Brian McFadden hit 61 at Carnoustie
- Alfred Dunhill celebrates 35 years supporting golf at St Andrews
- Amateurs join top professionals in celebration of links golf at its finest

ST ANDREWS, September 27, 2019 – England’s Matthew Jordan moved confidently up in class from the Challenge Tour to take the halfway lead into today’s third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The 23-year-old from the Wirral shot a 64 on the Old Course for a 36-hole total of 14-under-par and a one shot lead over Scotland’s Calum Hill, Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren and England’s Matthew Southgate.

Jordan said: “I’ve done quite well recently. I really wanted to play it and I absolutely love this place. I’ll try to make the most of it. Now I’m in this position, I want to make sure I kick on.”

The loudest cheers from the Scottish galleries came for three of their own, Hill, Russell Knox and Richie Ramsay, who all strengthened their challenge and offer the prospect of a first home win since Colin Montgomerie in 2005.

Hill, 24, who is currently No 1 on the Challenge Tour, is from nearby Kirkcaldy. He said: “It’s always nice to be at home and play in front of family and friends and it’s even better that I played well and they can enjoy themselves because of that.”

Hill, who received a sponsors’ invitation like Jordan, is trying not to get carried away as today he will be playing Carnoustie, the toughest of the three courses.

“Whatever my position right now, it’s probably slightly higher than those that have started on Carnoustie. After three rounds, I think you can look at your position a bit better and judge what you need to do for the final day.”

In a congested leaderboard, many will be expecting Justin Rose, two behind after a 64 at Kingsbarns, to be the main threat. He had an eagle and nine birdies, but it could have been better had he not had a double bogey at 11 and a bogey at 15.

Regular partners, professional Robert Rock (right) and Westlife star Brian McFadden, had one of the rounds of the day in the Team Championship with a betterball 61 at Carnoustie, generally agreed to be the most difficult of the three courses.

Brian says: “Golf has become a massive part of my life. It’s right up there with music. I played golf as a kid, then took it up again about seven years ago. I’m very competitive.”

McFadden is a firm believer that the camaraderie of the event helps to improve his golf and it showed as they moved up to second in the Championship on 20-under-par, one behind leaders Scott Jamieson & Cian Foley and Berry Henson & Liam Botham.

The field for this year’s Championship is the strongest ever and includes world top ten golfers Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Jon Rahm, plus Open Champion Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, American Tony Finau, Lee Westwood and Major Champions Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, the current European Ryder Cup captain, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and Danny Willett.

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship celebrates links golf at its finest and is played over the Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. With a prize fund of US$5 million, it incorporates two separate competitions – an individual tournament for the leading professionals and a team championship in which the pro’s are paired with amateur golfers.

Among the amateurs are Hollywood legends Bill Murray and Justin Timberlake, actors Matthew Goode, Greg Kinnear and Luke Wilson, rock stars Ronan Keating, Brian McFadden, Huey Lewis, Dave Farrell, Mike Rutherford and Brad Simpson and sport stars Sir Ian Botham, Sir Steve Redgrave, Wladimir Klitschko, Kevin Pietersen, Shane Warne, Luis Figo, Ruud Gullit, Vinnie Jones, Jamie Redknapp, Andrii Shevchenko and Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy.

This is the 35th year that Alfred Dunhill has supported golf at St Andrews, through the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and previously the Alfred Dunhill Cup. Since the creation of the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation in 2011 more than £7million has been raised for charity.