Scotland’s David Drysdale and New Zealander Steven Alker are locked together at the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the NI Legends, on a day of low scoring at Galgorm.

Both players sit at -10 after two rounds in Co. Antrim, two clear of another Scot, Alastair Forsyth, and three ahead of Greg Owen, Anthony Wall, Phillip Archer and Thomas Gögele. A trio of English players – Peter Baker, Robert Coles and Matt Cort – are at -6. In total, there are no fewer than 15 players within five of the lead, ahead of what should be an exciting final day.

Overnight leader Alker – chasing a third consecutive victory after back-to-back wins on the PGA Tour Champions – matched his first-round 67 to reach double-digits under-par with 18 holes to play. He was quickly out of the blocks on Saturday morning, picking up three shots on his front nine and closing with a clutch 10ft birdie putt on the 18th hole to claim the clubhouse lead.

“Same score but I did it differently,” said Alker. “It actually felt like I hit the ball better today than yesterday and didn’t get the result, but that’s golf. Thankfully, I made it up at the end. Making that putt on 18 was big for the confidence for sure. I hit two shots in there and thought I’d be on the green, then hit a poor pitch — and to make that putt just makes lunch taste a bit better.

“Tomorrow I’ll just try to make some birdies — there are birdies out there, some par fives to get after. That’s the plan: take advantage of the par fives and see what happens. One more day to go and I’m in with a chance to win tomorrow so very pleased overall.”

Alker’s clubhouse lead lasted just a few minutes as Drysdale – playing with Peter Baker in the group behind – hit a stunning approach to the last to secure a closing birdie, also reach -10 and book his place in the last group for Sunday’s final round.

The Scot claimed a maiden win in Cambodia at the Vattanac Legends in November and enjoyed some strong results early in 2026 with a T6 at the Barbados Legends and solo second place in Greece at the Legends Tour Trophy, but since then has struggled for form. It’s been a different story in Northern Ireland this week, however, and he is the only man in the field to be bogey-free after two rounds.

“I didn’t actually know that, but there you go,” said Drysdale, who made almost 600 appearances on the DP World Tour. “It’s always good to be bogey-free. Yesterday was much tougher with the wind, so I felt like I played a bit better then, but I’m obviously very happy with that score after two days.

“I’ve been pretty steady — haven’t put myself in too much trouble, been quite patient, waiting for the good shots and knocking a couple of putts in. It’s felt like quite an easy couple of days, though I know the game’s not always like that.

“Steven [Alker] and I go way back. We’ve known each other for a good few years, and he’s done amazingly well since joining the Champions Tour and is coming into this off the back of back-to-back wins. Being tied with him is great, and I look forward to the challenge. You just want to give yourself a chance, don’t you — that’s really the plan. Keep it as simple as possible and see where that gets you with a few holes to go on Sunday. I’ll play the same game, one shot at a time, the old saying: just give yourself a few looks and see what happens.”

On a day where the scoring average was a full two shots better than day one, there were a number of impressive rounds, including one from local favourite Cameron Clark. Born in Ballymena, Clark gave the home supporters plenty to cheer with an excellent 67, while South Africa’s Hennie Otto registered the lowest round of the week so far – a seven-under-par 65 that was later matched by Greg Owen.

Tickets for the NI Legends are free – spectators simply need to CLICK HERE to register to attend.

Away from the fairways there are plenty of activities for all the family, especially at the Spectator Village where there will be a dedicated interactive zone and golf simulator, plus the Rory McIlroy washing machine challenge. Kids can also enjoy bouncy castles and mini golf over the weekend. The Spectator Village also has a Public Bar, Barista Bar and Galgorm Food Tent

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