Koepka chases his American dream as South Africa's Casey Jarvis takes the lead

Casey Jarvis of South Africa leads the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after a final-hole birdie broke a four-way deadlock at the top of the leaderboard, but a five-time major champion and last year’s winner here are looming large.

Casey Jarvis, the 23-year-old seeking his third win of the year, birdied his final hole at Kingsbarns to claim sole possession of the lead in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Jarvis is out on his own on 11-under-par after a 67 in his second round, which included seven birdies. After victories in the Magical Kenya Open and the Investec South African Open Championship, he is now in pole position for a first landmark win in Europe.

He is a single shot ahead of the trio of England’s Matthew Jordan, another 23-year-old in Rocco Repetto Taylor of Spain and Jarvis’s fellow South African, MJ Daffue.

All four are looking over their shoulder at the ominous pair of Brooks Koepka and Bob MacIntyre, both on eight-under.

Koepka, the five-time major winner, arrived in Scotland with the objective of becoming the first American to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in its 25th year.

“I’ve been fortunate to have played in six Dunhill Links already, as well as two Open Championships at St Andrews over the years, and these trips are always highlights to my year,” said the 36-year-old from Florida, who shot a 67 at Kingsbarns.

“It’s a surprise to me that there hasn’t been an American winner of the Dunhill Links so far, so to achieve that this time would be a memorable moment for me in the Championship’s 25th year. I love Links golf and St Andrews is my favourite course in the world. I could play there every day for the rest of my life and never get tired.”

MacIntyre produced one of the rounds of the day at Kingsbarns, firing an inspired 65 to get his defence of the tournament he won last year back on track.

Meanwhile, Michael Stewart, who topped the leaderboard on Thursday evening, 24 hours after finishing second on the Tartan Tour event at Duddingston, maintained his challenge with a 71 at Kingsbarns – and goes into the weekend level with Koepka and MacIntyre on eight-under.

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 push for more South African glory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Jarvis’s 67 at Kingsbarns today 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 also leads the charge 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.

“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.

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.

Daffue leads the Team Championship with amateur partner Paul Harris, a retired banker from South Africa.

If Will Ahmed makes the cut in the Team Championship at this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, then he will owe a debt to his Scottish pro partner.

The WHOOP CEO watched on in admiration as Scotland’s David Law shot a 66 in the second round at Carnoustie to finish on five-under par.

The on-course chemistry between Ahmed and Law also saw them climb the Team Championship leaderboard to a tie for third on 20-under par.

“My partner, David, had it going today. I was trying to get a little better by osmosis,” said Ahmed, whose wearable technology product is now embedded in professional golf.

“Overall, I played pretty well. I was able to use the holes I got a few strokes on to make a par or two.”

MJ Daffue and Paul Harris share the lead on 21-under par in the Team Championship with Daniel Hillier and Craig Heatley. The dream for all amateurs is to get the chance to tee it up at St Andrews on Sunday.

“I made the cut with Johannes Veerman in 2022 and we finished tied fifth,” recalled Ahmed. “Just playing St Andrews on a Sunday is special. There was a great atmosphere, wonderful crowd and the pros were competing, so they were bringing their best stuff.”

WHOOP ambassadors include Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. “We’ve got a lot of players on the PGA and DP World Tours who wear the product," added Ahmed. "We love golf and we’re going to continue to invest in it.”

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 also 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.