Crocker retains Hero Open lead as Kearney shoots up leaderboard and Ferguson sets new course record

Niall Kearney moved into contention at the Hero Open, however, American Sean Crocker remains the man to catch at the Fairmont St Andrews, despite having his day-old course record broken by playing partner and temporary housemate Ewen Ferguson.

Crocker added a 66 to his opening 63 at Fairmont St Andrews for a halfway total of 15 under par and a one-shot lead over Scott Jamieson, who fired eight birdies in a flawless 64 and has not dropped a shot over the first two days.

Niall Kearney moved inside the top 15 with an excellent 66 to move to within five shots of the overall lead heading into the weekend.

The Dubliner started with a 68 on Thursday and got his second round going with three birdies in a row from the sixth to eighth holes, and while he dropped a shot on the tenth, he made four further birdies on the back nine to go around in six under par.

David Carey also impressed on the resort course of the historic old town by shooting 67 in a round that contained eight birdies.

Mr 57 - Carey shot that record score at the Cervino Open on the Alps Tour in 2019 - was struggling to make the cut following an opening round 71, however, his five-under second round sees him through to the weekend on six under par.

FULL LEADERBOARD

The other four Irish players in the field, Simon Thornton, Jonathan Caldwell, Paul Dunne and Cormac Sharvin, all failed to make it through to the weekend.

The round of the day belonged to Jamieson's fellow Scot Ferguson, who climbed more than 120 places on the leaderboard by following an opening 73 with a stunning 61.

Starting on the back nine, Ferguson followed a par on the 10th with six straight birdies and made another on the 18th to reach the turn in 29.

Further birdies on the second and third raised the