Lawrie steps up dunhill challenge

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie made a good start to the second round of the dunhill Championship, carding four birdies on the front nine holes to move into second place.

Lawrie – who was solid on a wet opening day, shooting a 68 – took advantage of dry conditions on Friday and moved to within just one shot of new leader Dane Mads Vibe-Hastrup, who picked up four shots to move to nine-under.

After taking more than 10 centimetres of rain in the past two days, the course was cool, but devoid of any rain when competitors made their early start on today.

Lawrie, who teed off before 8am, enjoyed the conditions to post pars on the first two holes, before enjoying a run of three birdies between holes three and five and adding another on the par-four seventh shortly afterwards.

Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen was also an early mover, picking up an eagle on 16 after teeing off at the 10th, and he added four further birdies to reach the turn in 31, joining Lawrie, Swede Johan Edfors, South African Titch Moore and another Dane – Soren Hansen – all on eight-under.

The first-round leaders – Germany’s Marcus Siem, Dane Anders Hansen and Scotland’s Alan McLean – all tee off in the afternoon.