Jarvis Opens With Hole-Out Eagle, Shoots 65 to Lead Dunhill Links by Two
The short version
- Casey Jarvis reached 18-under 198 with a 65 on the Old Course and leads by two.
- Adrian Meronk (63) and Matthew Jordan (66) share second; Thomas Detry is three back.
- Matt Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntyre are six behind; Brooks Koepka trails by eight.
- The cut came at 6-under 136, with Tyrrell Hatton and Cam Smith among 14 LIV players missing it.
- The final round is scheduled for Sunday at St. Andrews.
A wedge that found the cup at the first hole sent Casey Jarvis to a 65 and a two-stroke advantage at 18 under in the Dunhill Links Championship.
Casey Jarvis made an immediate statement on the Old Course, striking a wedge that touched down some 6 feet past the flag and zipped back into the cup for an eagle at his first hole Saturday. That sparked a 7-under 65 that carried the South African to 18-under 198 and a two-stroke advantage at the Dunhill Links Championship, where he is chasing a third European tour title of the season.
Jarvis started at the 10th hole, and the fireworks kept coming after the hole-out. His tee shot at the par-3 11th cleared the Strath bunker and finished 4 feet away, and a two-putt birdie at the 14th left him 5 under after five holes. He never dropped a shot in the breeze, and no birdie putt he made ran longer than 6 feet.
The nearest pursuers also went low. Adrian Meronk of Poland — LIV Golf supplied 22 players to the field this week — ran off four birdies to begin his round at Kingsbarns and added an eagle down the stretch in a 63. He sits two behind alongside England's Matthew Jordan, whose 66 also came at Kingsbarns, while Thomas Detry of Belgium, another LIV golfer, is one more stroke adrift after a 65 at St. Andrews.
Jarvis has already converted winning positions twice this season, taking the Kenya Open and the South African Open in successive weeks in February. "I know I'm going to be feeling pressure tomorrow," Jarvis said. "I have won twice this year. So I kind of know how to deal with it a little better. I still know I'm going to feel first tee nerves and pressure throughout the day."
Matt Fitzpatrick, who won in France last week, collected six birdies over his first seven holes before playing the remainder in even par — two birdies, two bogeys — for a 66 that left him six strokes back. Defending champion Robert MacIntyre signed for a 68 and stands in the same position. Brooks Koepka, winner of five majors, shot 70 on the Old Course and trails by eight.
The Old Course will stage the deciding round on Sunday. "Every golfer dreams of taking a lead, playing the Old Course on Sunday," Jarvis said. "I got goosebumps right now just standing here. I just can't wait for tomorrow. Even if I don't win, to be taking the lead, I'm just going to enjoy it as much as I can."
The cut line was 6-under 136. Fourteen LIV Golf players made early exits, a group that included Tyrrell Hatton and Cam Smith, winner of the 2022 British Open at St. Andrews.
Meronk said he plans to play as much European tour golf as he can, targeting a high placing in the Race to Dubai that would secure his card for 2027 and preserve flexibility around whatever direction LIV takes. "I've been playing really well the last couple of weeks. Just didn't get the full results," Meronk said. "Hopefully, this is the week. But just play my game tomorrow and see what happens at the end."
On the Global Sportscast calendar, Scotland faces North Macedonia on Saturday, October 3 at 2:45 PM EDT from Toše Proeski Arena, and South Africa takes on Egypt on Sunday, October 4 at 2:00 PM EDT at Cairo International Stadium.
