Lonard and Howell track McDowell

Graeme McDowell found himself under attack at the top of the leaderboard on the second morning of the Dunhill Links Championship.

Peter Lonard started the day three shots behind the Northern Irishman but he quickly joined him at the summit with a flying start at St Andrews.

McDowell yesterday equalled the course record on the old course and the Australian also got to grips with it straight away by starting with birdies at the 10th and 11th and 14th.

A further shot behind on nine-under was Ryder Cup debutant David Howell after cancelling out a bogey with three birdies on the same back nine.

Retief Goosen was leading the South African charge by moving two off the lead with a birdie at the 13th.

Another of Bernhard Langer’s heroes and Omega European Masters champion Luke Donald, who was on six-under overnight at Kingsbarns, picked up shots at the 12th and 13th but had to settle for a bogey at the 15th at St Andrews to drop back to seven-under.

That course was again proving to be the most rewarding of all the three courses and Colin Montgomerie was also quick to make his mark there.

The Scot launched his bid by picking up three shots in six holes to join Donald, James Kingston and Simon Dyson at seven-under.

The Englishman make a mockery of Carnoustie’s wild reputation by picking up four shots in the first five holes, after also starting the back nine first.

Howell’s impressive start meant that he and actor Samuel L Jackson were leading the team standings along with Lonard and Michael C Pascucci at 13-under.