Harrington heads Irish challenge but seven adrift at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Two players with a combined world ranking of 1,702 share the lead at the halfway stage of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Former Ryder Cup player Nicolas Colsaerts carded a 65 at Carnoustie to reach 14 under par, a total matched by Australia's Cameron John courtesy of a 68 at St Andrews following an opening 62 at Kingsbarns.

Padraig Harrington still leads the Irish contingent but is seven adrift of the leaders after a two-under par round of 70 at Kingsbarns.

After finishing his first round at Carnoustie with two successive bogeys, Harrington dropped further strokes at the third and fourth to slip back to three-under but recovered with three successive birdies around the turn to climb back to six-under.

A dropped stroke at the short 15th was cancelled out by a birdie at the par-five 16th, while he concluded Friday's round with a birdie on the 18th to reach the midway point in tied-35th.

Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin are all one stroke further back on six-under in tied-50th.

FULL LEADERBOARD

McIlroy and Lowry posted rounds of 69 and 70 respectively, while McKibbin registered a 68 in his second round at Carnoustie.

Lowry recovered from an early double-bogey, which briefly saw him fall back to -2 with three successive birdies on 7, 8 and 9, before a steady inward nine, gaining another stroke at the 14th.

McIlroy had just one dropped stroke and four birdies in his round, while in Carnoustie, McKibbin rattled in four birdies on the trot early in his second round, which was blemish free until a bogey at his final hole, the ninth.

Laytown's Alex Maguire is one-over par after his opening two rounds, registering five birdies in a one-under par 71 in his second round at Kingsbarns.

Overnight leader Darren Fichardt