Hurley’s mental fortitude comes up trumps as he makes the cut in Leopard Creek

Gary Hurley displayed the powers of his newfound mental approach to the game after he recovered from a double bogey midway through his second round with three successive birdies to make his second cut in as many starts on the DP World Tour.

Teeing off on one-over-par after an opening 73 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, Hurley carded a four-under 68 to make the cut on -3 and climb alongside Tom McKibbin into a share of 39th place.

The West Waterford native skipped to the turn with three birdies in five holes before stumbling to a six on the par-4 10th to drop back below the cut line on level-par.

However, the 29-year-old showed his powers of recovery for the umpteenth time in 2022 with a hat trick of birdies on 13, 14 and 15 to breeze into the weekend.

His compatriot McKibbin also showed his mental strength as he birdied his final hole for the second day in succession but he was forced to settle for a one-over 73 and a three-under halfway total which leaves him ten adrift of Scott Jamieson.

It was a tumultuous round for the Holywood teenager that included a hole out eagle on the par-4 6th but also bogeys on 1, 3, 9, 15 and 16.

John Murphy’s rookie season is yet to get off the ground after a third missed cut in as many starts. A level-par 72 saw the Kinsale native miss out on three-over-par.

Beginning on the back nine Murphy opened with four birdies and two bogeys in six holes before a birdie on 18 capped saw him card just two pars in nine holes.

At level-par his hopes of making the cut were renewed but they were soon dashed by a triple bogey seven on the par-4 3rd.

Scotland’s Jamieson will take a three-shot lead into the weekend after a bogey-free eight-under 63 that included four birdies in a row to set the course record.

The 39-year-old who is based in Florida nowadays is chasing his second DP World Tour win.