Pádraig Harrington shot a two-under round of 70 at Kingsbarns on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the veteran remains at the head of the Irish challenge at the halfway point.
The three-time major winner got off to a shaky start, making bogeys on the par-5 third and par-4 fourth holes, but bounced back with three birdies in succession on eight, nine and 10 to get into red figures for the day.
Another bogey on 15 dropped him back to -5 for the week, but an impressive flourish saw him birdie 16 and 18 to post -7 and end the day tied for 37th.
Hot on his heels are the trio of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin, and it is the latter who will be best pleased with his day’s work as he shot a four-under on Carnoustie, traditionally the toughest of the three courses in play.
McIlroy and Lowry were both playing Kingsbarns, and current Race to Dubai leader McIlroy will again be a little disappointed with his round of -3, on a day where he holed few putts outside expected range and failed to take advantage of either of the par-5s on the back nine.
Lowry, playing his ninth event in 11 weeks, made five birdies, but dropped three shots in three holes on the front side, including a double bogey at the par-4 fourth, and he too failed to birdie either of the par-5s on the way home.
Alex Maguire was also in action at Kingsbarns, and though he improved with a one-under 71, is unlikely to make the cut unless he can go low at St. Andrews on Saturday.
Nicolas Colsaerts said local knowledge was the key as he shot a stunning 65 at Carnoustie to share the lead with Cameron John.
Colsaerts kicked off his campaign with a 65 at the Old Course at St Andrews on Thursday and recorded the same score at the notoriously tricky Carnoustie on day two to reach 14 under par.
Australian John, meanwhile, followed up his opening 62 at Kingsbarns with a 68 on the Old Course, grabbing a share of the lead with his brilliant birdie at the 17th.
Home favourite David Law and first-round leader Darren Fichardt were in a tie for third a shot further back, one ahead of the four-strong group on 12 under following another day of low scoring.
Belgian Colsaerts, who has been coming to this event since 2004, felt his experience of Carnoustie paid dividends as he shot eight birdies and a single bogey, attributing his success to birdies at the difficult ninth and 17th.
The 2012 Ryder Cup star said: “I’ve been playing pretty well since yesterday. St Andrews, I really plotted my way around.
“But here, it requires a little bit more local knowledge. Having played in this (event) definitely helps.
“Didn’t really get off to the best of starts. I was more agitated and I didn’t hit the shots that I wanted. Then I started to get on a roll and birdied the ninth, which is not a hole that you birdie usually, and then went a couple on the spin, which was great, and kept it going.
“I birdied the 17th, which is also a hole you don’t really birdie at Carnoustie. So yeah, it all fitted together.”
John, who sits 1007th on the Official World Golf Ranking, sandwiched a disappointing double bogey at the fifth between birdies on the fourth and sixth before closing the front nine with a 25-foot birdie from off the ninth green.
A ten-foot birdie at the tenth took him to within a shot of the lead before a close-range gain on the 12th saw him join overnight leader Fichardt at the top.
A series of pars followed before John holed from 22 feet at the 17th to get to 14 under and share the lead with Colsaerts.
He said: “It’s just fun. You don’t get it a lot back home, the odd course that plays similar but nothing quite the same.
“And that’s kind of just the outlook of the week, just enjoy it, take it all in, walking up 18, it’s always pretty special, so just remember it.”
Grant Forrest and Martin Gilbert lead the team event on 24 under par after two rounds.