Harrington makes his move in Alfred Dunhill Links

Pádraig Harrington

Pádraig Harrington made a big move in the right direction as he bids to become the oldest winner in DP World Tour history at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The veteran (55) is bidding to win the title for the third time and overtake record holder Miguel Angel Jiménez.

And after firing seven birdies in a five-under 67 at Kingsbarns Golf Links, he’s just six shots behind leader Casey Jarvis heading to the Old Course.

South African Jarvis made his seventh birdie of the day at the 18th to shoot 67 at Kingsbarns and lead by a shot on 11-under par from compatriot MJ Daffue, Spain’s Rocco Repetto Taylor and England’s Matt Jordan.

“I made a few good birdies out there,” said Jarvis, who is chasing his third DP World Tour win this season. “It’s nice to have the Old Course for two rounds in a row now.

“You watch The Open growing up as a kid, and now to be in contention in a tournament like this, I'm just looking forward to it.”

Daffue shot 68 at St Andrews as Repetto Taylor, playing at Kingsbarns, fired an eight-under-par 64.

England’s Jordan came out on top at Carnoustie, following up a 69 on The Old Course with a seven-under 65.

The leading 60 professionals and ties will make the 54-hole cut, which leaves 37th-placed Harrington on track to play all four rounds.

Just the top-20 teams progress, however, and Harrington and his partner Kieran McManus are five shots outside the projected cut-on 12-under, nine shots behind leaders Daffue and Paul Harris and Daniel Hillier and partner Craig Heatley.

In the 32nd PGA Cup at The K Club’s South Course, Great Britain and Ireland swept the afternoon fourballs 4-0 to take a 6-2 lead into day two of their biennial clash with the USA.

The sides shared the foursomes session 2-2 before Co Down’s Simon Thornton, who lost 5&4 alongside Matt Ford in the morning, teamed up with England’s Ashley Mansell to beat Brian Bergstol and Brandon Bingaman by 2 holes in the top match.

Scotland’s Gavin Hay and Graeme Robertson (3&2), England’s Gareth Davies and James Freeman (5&4) and Welshman Toby Hunt and England’s Ben Amor (5&3) completed the fourball rout.

The teams will play four morning fourballs, followed by four afternoon foursomes on Saturday before facing off in ten singles matches on Sunday.

GB&I need 13.5 points to win the Llandudno International Trophy for the first time since 2017 and deny the USA its fourth successive victory.