Jimmy Mullen feels ready for the challenge of Carnoustie as he heads into the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with a share of the lead.
The 21 year old is enjoying an incredible week on his professional debut and followed up his opening 64 at Kingsbarns with a 69 at St Andrews to sit at 11 under alongside Anthony Wall.
Next up for the Englishman is Carnoustie, widely regarded as the most difficult of the three courses being played at this event, but that does not faze the Walker Cup star who won all four of his matches against the United States last month.
"I know I've played the easier of the courses," he said. "I'm playing Carnoustie tomorrow so I knew I had to do two good rounds in the first two days to take a bit of the pressure off myself.
"I've played very well at Carnoustie this year so I mean to stick to my game plan which me and my coach and (caddie) Alex (Howie) discussed." Jimmy Mullen
Mullen, starting in the first group out, bogeyed the fourth but bounced back with a gain at the fifth and further birdies on the seventh and ninth holes got him to the turn in 34 and with a one shot lead at ten under.
He then birdied the 12th, gave the shot back on the next, but gained another stroke on the 14th before parring his way home to ensure he would share the lead after both of his first two days in the paid ranks.
"I was just out there trying to enjoy it and learn and to be at the top of the leaderboard is, I can't really explain," he said. "It's a different experience but I'll just have to learn that as I go along."
"The hardest bit for me is you watch all the players growing up from when I was a junior and just realising that you're playing against them now and seeing them on the range.
"I'm still a bit like: 'Oh look, there's Kaymer' and all the people like that so I'm just trying to let them do what they do and just concentrate on what I do. I think I've managed to stick to that quite well over the last two rounds.
"I got a bit twitchy lagging a few putts up on the back nine but I'm happy with my day's work."
A run of four birdies on the way in catapulted Wall into contention after he had made a poor start at St Andrews.
The 40 year old started on the tenth and turned in 37 after three bogeys and two birdies but he made a gain on the first and then had a run of four birdies from the fourth to get to the top of the pile.
"It was a good day," he said. "I didn't really do much going on that back nine to start but I managed to have a good run on the front, so I had my back nine, great total.
"Any time you get double figures in two rounds is good golf."
Paul Dunne was also playing in his first professional event and he was a shot behind the leaders after a 70 at St Andrews that included three birdies and one bogey in his first ten holes and a run of eight consecutive pars on the way in.
Jamie Donaldson came into the event off the back of finishing in a tie for fifth at the Porsche European Open and made eight birdies in a brilliant 65 at Kingsbarns with a single dropped shot to get him to 10 under.
American Chris Stroud fired a 66 at Kingsbarns to also sit in a share of third place along with Thorbjørn Olesen who turned in 31 and birdied the ninth, his last, to get himself into double figures.
Garth Mulroy was then alone on nine under after a 68 at St Andrews with Bradley Dredge a shot further back after firing a 63, the low round of the week so far and 10 better than his effort on Thursday.
Martin Kaymer was also in the group at eight under alongside Alejandro Cañizares, Benjamin Hebert and Nathan Holman.
Graeme McDowell was then in a large group at seven under with Branden Grace who signed for an impressive 64.
