Back-to-back eagles today catapulted Ireland's Paul McGinley into top spot on the leaderboard at the half-way stage of the Dunhill Links Pro-Am Championship. McGinley sank a 146-yard eight-iron on the 464-yard fourth hole at St Andrews and followed that up with a drive and five-iron to 25 feet on the 568-yard fifth hole. The Dubliner finished with a round of 64 to leave him on 13-under-par and in an excellent position to fight for the £550,000 first prize on offer for the eventual winner.
Although his two eagles were the high point of his round, McGinley was pleased with his overall performance. "I also hit 18 greens in regulation, although I know that's not saying much at St Andrews because of the size of the greens. But the two eagles were the bonus - they turned a 68 into a 64," he said.
McGinley's amateur partner is American actor Kyle McLachlan, of Sex In The City and Twin Peaks fame but although the pro-am team event is being run concurrently on the three courses of Kingsbarns, St Andrew's and Carnoustie over the weekend, McGinley is treating the event as seriously as he would any Tour event. "I know what is at stake here for the Order of Merit and world ranking points. I know how much we are playing for and what you can achieve by playing well. I don't regard it as a pro-am - it's a tournament for me," he explained.
McLachlan was among 39 amateurs who had their handicaps reassessed by the championship committee today but neither he nor McGinley was aware of that fact when they set out. The actor's handicap was slashed from 14 to nine. "He is not a member of a club at the moment," said McGinley. "His old handicap was 14, but I would say 11 or maybe 12 is his proper handicap."
With a round at Carnoustie still to come before the field is cut to the top 60 - there is no 36-hole cut at this event - McGinley is in an excellent position, leading by two shots from Londoner Brian Davis and Zimbabwe's Tony Johnstone. Another Dubliner, Padraig Harrington, is also well placed with two rounds remaining in the richest golf tournament to ever have been staged in Britain. Harrington shot a 67 and is on 10-under-par, three shots behind McGinley, alongside Jamie Donaldson.
Of the other Irish taking part, Darren Clarke shot an excellent 67 on the Kingsbarns course to move up to five-under-par while David Higgins finished level par with a 72 at St Andrew's and Des Smyth is four-over after a 74 at Kingsbarns.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
