Kiwi Ryan Fox lurks just four strokes off the lead midway through his defence of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at iconic St Andrews, Scotland.
Twelve months ago, Fox took out this event by a single stroke for the biggest win of his career at that time, but surpassed that achievement last month, when he took out the BMW PGA Championship at Surrey.
Taking that form into the links event, he carded an opening six-under-par 66 and backed that up with a three-under 69 to sit tied for sixth, nine under through two rounds and four shots behind Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, a former US Open winner.
Teeing off on the 10th hole at Kingsbarns Golf Links, Fox birdied the par-five 12th, but gave that shot back with bogey on the par-five 16th. He carded three birdies on the front nine, including back-to-back efforts on the fifth and sixth holes, to complete his round.
His efforts were marred somewhat, when he came off second best in an encounter with a hot dog on the fairway, dripping mustard down his golf jacket.
Fox currently sits third on the DP World Tour rankings, behind world No.2 Rory McIlroy and No.3 John Rahm.
