Grace keeps lead at Dunhill Links

St. Andrews, Scotland – Branden Grace shot a 67 on Friday to maintain the lead after two rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

On Thursday, Grace fired a course-record 12-under-par 60 at Kingsbarns to grab a two-stroke advantage over Victor Dubuisson.

Grace, a three-time winner on the European Tour this season, opened the second round with three pars and a bogey -- his first of the tournament -- at St. Andrews before reeling off five birdies in six holes. The 24-year-old added another birdie at the 18th to reach 17-under-par 127 after two rounds.

"I made a silly bogey on the fourth; I missed a 3-footer for par," said Grace. "As soon as I made a birdie on the next, I settled down and got things going again and the form of yesterday just kicked in and the putting just kept on going in."

On Saturday, Grace will move to Carnoustie Golf Club, which is considered the most difficult of the three courses in play during the event.

Joel Sjoholm and Thorbjorn Olesen share second place after the former matched Grace's 67 at the Old Course on Friday to reach 12-under-par. The latter battled through three bogeys and toughed out a 69 at Carnoustie after recording a 63 in the opening round.

South African Anton Haig sits alone in fourth place at 11-under while Graeme Storm, Magnus Carlsson and Fabrizio Zanotti are tied for fifth at 10-under 134.

Dubuisson struggled to a 1-over 73 at Carnoustie on Friday to fall into a tie with three others for eighth place -- 9-under 135.

Martin Kaymer, Peter Hanson and Paul Lawrie -- three members of the European Ryder Cup team, which recently pulled off a historic comeback over the U.S. -- are all competing at Dunhill Links.

Kaymer, who holed the clinching putt to defeat Steve Stricker and give Europe the Ryder Cup, has fared the best of the three teammates with a 3-under 141 -- good for a 56th-place tie.

Hanson is one back of Kaymer at 2-under, while Lawrie is tied for 129th place at 1-over 145.

Only the top 60 will survive the cut after Saturday's third round.

Grace maintained his lead with a strong effort on the greens, where he drained three 20-plus foot putts, including a downhill, 25-footer on No. 10 for a fourth consecutive birdie.

On the par-four last, Grace drove the green and was off with his eagle attempt before rolling home a short putt for his sixth birdie of the day.

NOTES: Defending champion Michael Hoey has managed consecutive 1-under 71s and is tied for 73rd...British Open winner Ernie Els shot 70 on Friday and is tied for 89th at 1-under 143...22-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps made a rolling, 150-foot putt for eagle at the par-4 sixth at Kingsbarns...German Alex Cejka withdrew from the tournament.