Horne Holds Firm To Take Halfway Lead At Staysure PGA Seniors Championship

Keith Horne battled through testing conditions to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeen.

The South African, who shared the overnight lead after an opening six-under-par 66, followed it with a level-par 72 on Friday to reach the halfway stage at six-under and claim the outright lead on the New Course.

Horne leads an all-South African top three, with Darren Fichardt and Hennie Otto just one shot back at five-under, while Scottish duo David Drysdale and Greig Hutcheon, Ryder Cup star Jamie Donaldson and recent OFX Irish Legends champion Johan Edfors are firmly in the hunt at four-under.

Horne dropped shots at the first and seventh as strong winds made his opening nine particularly challenging, before responding with birdies at both par fives on the back nine, the 15th and 18th.

“I’m very happy with my position, that’s for sure. Today was tough. The first nine holes were really, really tough out there, straight into the wind,” said Horne, who is looking to claim the Staysure Legends Tour’s flagship tournament for the first time.

“My golf today wasn’t as good as yesterday. I didn’t have many birdie chances – it basically consisted of trying to two-putt from 40 or 60 feet for most of the day and hang in there until I managed to get to the closing downwind holes.”

One of those chances came at the par-five 15th, where Horne produced one of his shots of the day to set up a crucial birdie. “I hit a really good hybrid into the 15th off a downslope to about 20 feet, and I was really chuffed with that shot.”

Looking ahead to the weekend, the 2025 Reignwood Legends Championship winner believes patience will be key.

“It’s such a tough golf course, you really can’t get ahead of yourself. It’s survival out there really, and that will be the key – just stay in the moment and try and hit the golf shots when I need to.”

Horne’s compatriot Fichardt, who shared the overnight lead after an opening 66, also endured a more challenging second round but birdied the 18th to sign for a one-over-par 73 and remain firmly in contention.

The third member of the South African trio, Hennie Otto, produced one of the rounds of the day to join him at five-under. The Staysure Legends Tour rookie began Friday at level par but fired a stunning five-under-par 67, making six birdies to surge up the leaderboard.

Sweden’s Edfors – a three-time DP World Tour winner – continued his strong 2026 season with a three-under-par 69, coming home in 32 to move within two shots of the lead.

“I’m happy with the way I’ve been playing. It’s a really tough course – if you miss the fairway, you have to be lucky to find the ball,” he said.

“It’s great to win a tournament again [in Ireland], and I was hoping to ride on that for a while, but I didn’t play too well at the Senior Open and didn’t play all that great down in Portugal either. So it’s nice to feel that the form is back a little bit.”

Scotland’s David Drysdale followed his opening 67 with a one-over-par 73 to also sit at four-under, despite arriving in Aberdeen with few expectations after suffering a back problem in Portugal last weekend.

“I’m a little bit surprised, to be honest. I had a little twinge in my back on Sunday in Portugal and didn’t hit a golf ball until I warmed up yesterday,” said Drysdale.

“I had a lot of physio on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I had no expectations. Maybe that’s the way! I played nicely yesterday, holed a few putts and hit a lot of good shots. Today was a little bit scrappy, but overall I’m pretty pleased.”

Donaldson also reached four-under after signing for a second successive 70, recovering from a double bogey at the sixth with back-to-back birdies at seven and eight before picking up another shot at the 18th.

1999 Open Champion and local favourite Paul Lawrie provided further Scottish interest with a three-under-par 69 to climb to -3 for the championship, while 2005 U.S. Open Champion Michael Campbell sits at two-under after a second-round 76.

The cut has now been made at the halfway stage, with the leading 60 players and ties progressing to the weekend. The championship remains wide open heading into Saturday’s third round on the New Course.

Tickets for the remaining two days of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship are still available to purchase here.