Trevor Immelman was threatening to tear the famous Old Course apart as he mounted a second-round charge up the leaderboard in the Alfred Dunhill Links championship.

The 27-year-old South African, who could only muster a one-over 73 during his first round at Carnoustie yesterday, played 11 holes at St Andrews in eight under par as he came barging up into the top 10 with a seven-under total, two shots behind early frontrunner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain.

Immelman, the world number 18 and a three-time European Tour winner, birdied the first, third and fourth before conjuring an eagle three at the 568-yard fifth.

Another birdie at the seventh gave the former World Cup winner an outward half of 30 and when he reeled off consecutive birdies at the 10th and 11th, Immelman's surge into contention had gathered more momentum.

Nick Dougherty, with four top-five finishes to his name on the tour this season, also enjoyed the benefits of an eagle as he covered seven holes at Carnoustie in four under to jump to the nine-under mark.

The 25-year-old, a winner on the European circuit in 2005, birdied the 12th — his third — before making a three at the 514-yard par-five 14th. Another birdie at 15 pushed the former Walker Cup player to with a shot of the lead.

Fernandez-Castano, a three-time tour winner, had picked up five shots in 14 holes at Kingsbarns to go to 10 under while South African Hennie Otto was continuing his steady progress and having birdied his first three holes at St Andrews he then produced a stream of 10 pars to sit at three under for the day and nine under for the championship.

Former Open champion Ernie Els bolstered the South African presence in the upper echelons of the leaderboard by picking up strokes on five of his opening eight holes at the OId Course for a nine-under tally while Australia's Peter O'Malley lifted himself into contention by covering 11 holes at Kingsbarns in
six under par.

Luke Donald, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Niclas Fasth were all sitting at eight-under with Open champion Padraig Harrington, the Dunhill Links winner last year and in 2002, Justin Rose and former Claret Jug winner Paul Lawrie a stroke further back at seven under.

Darren Clarke had also forced himself into the seven-under group after a rousing outward half of 29 at the Old course which included an eagle three at the fifth and a bag of five birdies.

Rory McIroy and Damien McGrane are two shots further back on five under while Paul McGinley has moved to three under.