Ross Fisher moves ahead at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Sunday 9 October 2016 17:15, UK
Ross Fisher takes a one-shot lead in to the weekend at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where Ryder Cup stars Thomas Pieters and Martin Kaymer remain in contention.
Fisher posted a four-under 68 at St Andrews to stay one ahead of Sweden's Joakim Lagergren, as Pieters and Kaymer posted matching 68s at Kingsbarns to sit five and six strokes back, respectively.
After Fisher birdied four of his opening seven holes to reach the turn in 32, the Englishman bounced back from a three-putt at the 11th to pick up a shot at the next to open a two-shot advantage.
A blemish at the 13th was followed by a 10-foot gain at the next and a tap-in birdie at the 16th before another dropped shot at the short 17th left Fisher setting the clubhouse target at 11 under.
"To shoot four under and get to 11 [under], I'm obviously very, very pleased," Fisher said. "Coming around here, St Andrews, you know the greens are going to be a little bit slower.
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"I felt like I played really well front side. Every time I bogeyed, I bounced back. It would have been nice to have one on 18 after bogeying 17, but it's still tough out there."
Lagergren birdied the ninth, his final hole, close a bogey-free 68 at Kingsbarns to halve Fisher's cushion and claim outright second ahead of compatriot Alex Noren. The overnight leader, Noren closed his one-under 71 with back-to-back bogeys.
Jbe' Kruger is another shot back in fourth after posting a second successive 68, with England's Tyrrell Hatton fifth on 7 under.
Six of Europe's Ryder Cup side are in action in Scotland, with Pieters the best-placed of those in tied-sixth after mixing six birdies with a double-bogey at the 16th.
Kaymer birdied his first three holes at Kingsbarns to get to five under and Rafa Cabrera Bello is in the group seven shots off the lead, while Lee Westwood sits bottom of the leaderboard after a 10-over 82 at Kingsbarns on Friday.
Masters champion Danny Willett and compatriot Matt Fitzpatrick face a battle to make the 54-hole cut after rounds of 73 left them two and six over par respectively.
Watch the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports - your home of golf. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 1pm.
