Jordan Smith shot a sensational 63 over the par-70 Renaissance Club course to lead the chase for the Gensis Scottish Open title in the $9m tournament.
Now Liverpool-supporting Smith now hopes to play well in Round Three on Saturday so he can claim a late tee-off time on Sunday.
That’s because he wants to watch England in their World Cup clash with Norway in Miami (kick-off 22.00).
The 33-year-old was two-under when he teed-up at 07.44 with Harris English (USA) and Nick Tayor (Canada) and he still led by a shot when he conducted a series of media interviews.
It had been a good day for the player on the sun-drenched links near North Berwick and he declared he put the clubs away for a week before arriving in East Lothian.
He added: “I look forward to the next stretch. I had some good feelings out there.”
Smith looks forward to, potentially, a “very exciting weekend”.
Playing on the tour has given the player a great deal of confidence but he said: “It is all a learning curve. Things are feeling good, I’m in a good mental state.”
Focusing on his round, the Wiltshire professional conceded that the wind picked up as he headed into the back nine at the North Berwick course and all the holes played completely differently.
Smith will now be interested to see if the wind pick up during the day so he can remain at or near the top of the pile.
Over to the football, and Smith said there will be a lot of English players hoping for a late tee-time on Sunday so they can watch what he believes will be a “really good game”.
He knows Jimmy Bullard and John Terry and said there is always chat between different nationalities within the golfing fraternity.
Therefore, he is expecting some “banter” from the Norwegian players here. There could also, he said, be chat between the Spanish and the French here.
So, who will win the World Cup? Smith believes France are the team to bear overall.
Minutes earlier, English professional Danny Willett shot a three-under 67 over the tough Renaissance Course then he headed for the practice ground to iron out a few issues.
The Belfry-based pro started the second round on three-under and took that overall total to a commendable minus six.
He teed-off at the tenth at 07.22 and acknowledged that it was pretty benign early on.
Willett added that the wind then swung from the south-west to the north and that made a couple of tee shots on the back nine “really different”.
He added: “It is a good test of golf the way it is. Couple of iffy ones. I’m going to the range now to iron a few things out, 20 minutes (there) and feet up.”
He is happy with his work so far and said that any time you shoot in the 60s you are going to be in a decent position, especially in but there is still loads of work a place like this, there is still work to do yet.
“Late tee-time tomorrow (Saturday) and we see what we get.”
MEDIA SCRUM: Jordan Smith reflects on a good day on course at The Renaissance Club. Picture Nigel Duncan
