After qualifying for the championship in a seven-man play-off, he shot rounds of 67 and 69 at Carnoustie to lead by two strokes over Tom Watson, Peter Oosterhuis and Bernard Gallacher at the halfway mark.
Following his success in qualifying for the championship via a seven-man playoff, he demonstrated exceptional skill with scores of 67 and 69 at Carnoustie, ultimately taking a two-stroke lead over Tom Watson, Peter Oosterhuis, and Bernard Gallacher by the midpoint of the tournament.