Glasgow golfer Marc Warren reckons a couple of new weapons in the armoury can help him make a serious assault at this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The 34-year-old was heading into the second round of the £3.3 million Pro-Am event this morning in a handy position having opened his campaign with a four-under 68 at Carnoustie to sit fours shots behind early frontrunners, Kristoffer Broberg, Jimmy Mullen and Paul Dunne.

Warren, who returned to competitive action in last week’s European Open in Germany after a four week lay off, has put a new driver and a new ball in the bag for this week’s event on home soil and the three-time Tour winner is already feeling the benefits.

Warren said: “I changed this week to the new Callaway Big Bertha driver and a new chrome soft ball and that’s made a huge difference.

“I’ve been testing the driver for a little while but now it’s in the bag I reckon I’m getting five to seven yards more off the tee.

“So the combination of a new driver and a new ball was very much why I felt so comfortable out there today as opposed to last week in Germany which I put down to a little rust in my game having been off for a good period.”

Despite spilling shots on the ninth at 18th over a sun soaked Carnoustie that was certainly not baring its teeth but still posed considerable menace, Warren offset those losses with a haul of four birdies as well as an eagle on the 14th.

He added: “Bogeying the last shows just how tough the finishing stretch is here. I played the last two holes in one-over; you’d probably take that every time round here.”

While Warren made profitable gains, Glasgow ace Scott Jamieson had to settle for a level-par 72 at Carnoustie.

The Cathkin Braes man had been three-under at the turn – he started at the 10th – but three bogeys in five holes coming home saw him drop back.

At the head of affairs, Broberg fired his 64 at the Old Course while rookie duo Mullen and Dunne hit their eight-under cards at Kingsbarns.