Scottish Open: Daniel Brooks leads with Justin Rose behind

Brooks is three shots ahead at Gullane

Daniel Brooks moved into a three-shot lead at the Scottish Open, but defending champion Justin Rose remains within striking distance after day two.

Brooks started the day a shot behind Thorbjorn Olesen, but the Englishman fired a five-under-par 65 at Gullane, while the Dane slumped to a 77.

Rose, who posted 66, is in a group of six players three shots off the lead.

It includes fellow Englishman Matthew Nixon, 67 and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, 66.

Republic of Ireland's Shane Lowry, 66, Sweden's Johan Carlsson, 67, and United States' Ryan Palmer, who matched the best scores of the day with a 65, complete the chasing pack.

The 28-year-old Brooks, who is seeking his second win on the European Tour after last year's Madeira Islands Open, had only one bogey during his round finished strongly with two birdies to consolidate his lead.

Rose, the highest-ranked player in the tournament following Rory McIlroy's withdrawal through injury, started with a bogey five at the opening hole but responded with five birdies before the turn only for his progress to stall on the back nine.

The 34-year-old told BBC Sport: "I started with a bogey, but that seemed to be the catalyst to play some pretty good golf.

"The difference between the front and the back was just making those key putts from about 15 feet."

Justin Rose is the highest-ranked played in the tournament after Rory McIlroy's injury withdrawal

Asked how close he is to top form ahead of next week's Open at St Andrews, Rose replied: "I would say running about 50%.

"There's still a couple of loose shots, which I'm getting away with on this course that, on some other courses, you might not get away with.

"Definitely some room for improvement, but my mindset feels good right now, I feel calm, I feel patient."

Rose's playing partner, five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who won this event at Castle Stuart in 2013, had a 68 to lie eight shots behind the leader.

It was a similar story on the back nine to Rose for former Open champion Paul Lawrie, who leads the home challenge after a second successive 67 took him to six-under-par, five shots behind Brooks.

The 46-year-old, who has had injury problems in the past two seasons, told BBC Scotland: "I'm not 100% fit, but I'm fit enough to give it a clip down the fairway.

"These two days, I've played really nicely.

"Tee to green, I've hit a lot of nice shots and I've putted really nicely but holed nothing.

"I feel as though, if I knock a couple of putts in, I've got a chance this weekend."

Russell Knox, who makes his Open debut at St Andrews next week as first reserve after Rory McIlroy's withdrawal, is a further shot behind after a 68.

David Drysdale matched the best round of the day with a 65 to lie seven shots off the lead, while Greig Hutcheon, 66, made the weekend line-up with a birdie at the last.

However, Stephen Gallacher, 71, Martin Laird, 68, and Scott Jamieson, 68, were among those missing the cut by a shot, while first-round leader Olesen was another shot back.

Paul Lawrie is the leading Scot at Gullane, five shots behind the leader