Cameron Tringale has defied the wind at The Renaissance Club to stay three shots ahead in the Scottish Open as he tries to win for the first time in his 13th year on the PGA Tour.
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On a day when Australia's reigning champion Min Woo Lee missed the cut emphatically on 11 over par and his compatriots also struggled, American Tringale stayed on track for victory.
After making four straight bogeys around the turn on Friday, he finished with three pars for a two-over par 72.
He had a three-shot lead over Gary Woodland (72) and Doug Ghim, whose 69 raised hopes he could earn one of three spots available for the British Open.
The Scottish Open is the first time the PGA Tour is co-sanctioning a European tour event, and it led to the strongest field in tournament history, featuring 14 of the top 15 players in the world rankings.
Tringale won't have to contend with half of them.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player, was among seven of those players who can get an early start on the Old Course at St Andrews. They all missed the cut.
Only two Aussies made it to the weekend - European Tour stalwart Jason Scrivener, who was on two over for the tournament after a 73, and Cameron Smith, who shot a 75 to get to the halfway stage on three over.
But Lee, the 2021 winner, could only get round in 74 - three shots better than in his Thursday opening round but nowhere near enough to book him a spot over the weekend.
Friday gave a steady dose of strong wind, typical for these parts and still playable considering the design of the links-like course that allows for the ball to be played along the ground.
Scheffler (72) was on the good side of the draw and got a taste of quirky bounces, finding pot bunkers and other trouble that kept him from making up ground.
PGA champion Justin Thomas had a 77 and missed the cut by seven shots. He got the bad end of the draw.
Xander Schauffele and US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick also got the rough end but made it through just fine.
Schauffele's 65 was the best round of the day to put him in a tie for fourth, three shots behind.
Fitzpatrick was even stronger. He was six under for the day without a bogey on his card until dropping shots on each of the last two holes. His 66 also left him three back.
Australian Associated Press
