Luiten puts pressure on Uihlein

Joost Luiten stepped out of the shadows of Peter Uihlein to boost his hopes of a third European Tour title of the season in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday.

Under normal circumstances, Luiten's round of 63 at Kingsbarns - one of the three courses used for the pro-am event - would have merited more than a passing mention, particularly as it left him just one shot off the halfway lead.

But the 27-year-old Dutchman's efforts were overshadowed by Uihlein's brilliant round of 60 completed under an hour later, the American narrowly missing an eagle putt on the par-five ninth - his final hole - to record the first ever 59 on the European Tour.

However, Luiten could have the last laugh by claiming the £495,000 first prize on Sunday to further enhance his chances of a Ryder Cup debut at Gleneagles next year, three birdies in his first six holes at St Andrews taking him to the top of the leaderboard.

Luiten birdied the first, third and sixth in perfect scoring conditions on the Old Course to move to 17 under par, two shots clear of overnight leader Tom Lewis and South African Hennie Otto.

They were both at Carnoustie, usually the hardest of the three courses, and Lewis had started his round from the 10th with four straight pars, while Otto had covered the back nine in 34 with three birdies and a bogey on the 18th.

Uihlein, who won his first European Tour title in Madeira in May, was three shots off the lead on 14 under after holing from 25ft for a birdie on the second at St Andrews.