Following the conclusion of the 2025 Ryder Cup a week prior, participants from the triumphant European contingent are sustaining their high-caliber performances on foreign soil. Spearheaded by consecutive rounds of 66 at Carnoustie Golf Links and Kingsbarns Golf Links, Robert MacIntyre is poised to jointly hold the top position at the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as the weekend approaches, sharing the spotlight with Richard Sterne at 12 under.
MacIntyre is scheduled to participate in his third round at the Old Course at St. Andrews before a selection is made post 54 holes. The concluding round of the tournament will witness the remaining contenders revisiting the Old Course.
“It bordered on being an impeccable round of golf, especially given the weather conditions; it was simply delightful,” expressed MacIntyre.
Strong gusts of wind and persistent rainfall presented numerous challenges for competitors during the second round — even inducing a momentary suspension of play in the afternoon — yet they barely impeded MacIntyre’s forward thrust. A swift commencement to his initial nine holes saw him securing three birdies within the initial quartet of holes, subsequently followed by a sequence of pars to finalize his opening nine (the latter nine at Kingsbarns).
The adverse weather lingered, and so did MacIntyre, on the concluding section of the course. Trading a birdie for a bogey across the initial couple of holes on the golf course, the steadfast left-handed player maintained his forceful play, accumulating an additional trio of birdies on his concluding nine to replicate his initial 33. His final birdie of the day on the par-5 9th proved sufficient to grant MacIntyre a share of the lead, a single stroke ahead of Louis Oosthuizen.
“I simply executed the ball strikes exceptionally well,” MacIntyre commented. “I felt I managed my flight trajectories with precision. It’s undeniably challenging when the wind intensifies to this extent. It becomes arduous to strike the ball effectively amidst such wind conditions. Consequently, I was compelled to counter the wind on specific holes, which wasn’t always comfortable. Nonetheless, I executed some exquisite shots. And yes, my putting was consistently reliable despite the wind.”
MacIntyre isn’t the sole member of the blue and gold ensemble to surmount the rapid shift from Bethpage Black. Matt Fitzpatrick, an Englishman and former victor of this very tournament, is sustaining his streak of consistent play and trails his teammate by a mere four strokes, having recorded rounds of 67 and 69 at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, respectively.
Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood are also viable contenders as they progress into the latter segment of this tournament, positioned one stroke behind Fitzpatrick at 7 under. Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson, a two-time major champion, showcased brilliance with an initial 64 at Carnoustie but offset it with a 77 on Friday at Kingsbarns, precipitating his descent down the leaderboard, predominantly attributed to completing his concluding six holes in a 6-over fashion, including a triple bogey-8 on his concluding hole.
