YORKSHIREMAN Danny Willett is leading the English charge at the 144th Open Championship and admits that seeing his name at the top of the leaderboard at St Andrews was like a childhood dream.

After a near three hour delay for torrential rain at the start of the day, Willett stepped out and turned on the style to follow up an opening round 66 with a three-under 69 to earn the clubhouse lead from around 4pm until Dustin Johnson worked his magic late on.

The Sheffield golfer, backed by his family and friends as well as the thousands who started to follow him as he hit top spot, now hopes to become the first player from his home county to ever get his hands on the Claret Jug on the Sunday.

Willett said: “I've been told a few times in the last 20 minutes. I mean it's one of them things. Yorkshire is a big place, but when you consider the world it's probably quite small, so that's not really a surprise.

“But I think it's a childhood dream. Looking up there it's still a little bit surreal but something I'm going to have to get used to, otherwise there’s no point in being up there. We're going to try and rest up and then try to go out for another good weekend and hopefully we can be up there in two days' time.”

Willett’s professional career has grown in strength in recent years having started to fulfil all the potential he did when he was ranked as the world’s best amateur.

He is still only 27 so this weekend could be the stepping stone he has been looking for, having displayed the composure and talent to get over the line when the pressure started to boil.

After bogeying the 15th following a disappointing approach and then three putting the second last, Willett walked up the 18th and sank an eight-foot putt for birdie in front of the galleries to regain a two-shot lead over earlier finishers Marc Warren, of Scotland, and American Zach Johnson. Aussie Adam Scott, the winner of the Masters in 2013, also made a charge with a 67 to join that strong group.

The last five winners of the Open have had a share of the lead at least going in to the weekend, which bodes well for the former Walker Cup player.

“I'm sure Yorkshire won't put too much pressure on me!” said Willett. “It's good fun. Like I said, you can't look at that leaderboard, and yeah, you look at it and you're a bit nervous and whatever, you're bound to be, but it's actually fantastic. So I look forward to a good weekend.

“There are positives and negatives from leading tournaments at this stage. Leading is always difficult, whether or not to press or hold where you are, and chasing, at times, people like to come from behind and obviously keep putting pressure on the guys in front. Not really superstitious.

“I've been up and in around it a few times, probably enough to kind of see which way it kind of can't go. But yeah, I'd much rather be joint leader or somewhere near the lead than just making the cut. You're probably going to have a better chance.”

But Scott – knowing strong winds on Saturday could severely affect scoring - also fancies his chances, while his Australian rivals Jason Day (-6), Steven Bowditch and Geoff Ogilvy (both -5) are also right in the frame.

Scott, who blew a four shot lead with four to play at the 2012 Open at Royal Lytham, said: “We've got some strong players, that's for sure. The Open lends itself a little bit more than some of the other majors to everyone being able to shoot a good score if they play well.

“You can get away with a few misses in the right areas, and you can scramble around this course. You get options with shots. It's just not one style of golf like some of the other majors generally are.

“I think I said before the start of the week, and I felt at other events, almost anyone in the field if they play well can shoot a good score at The Open. It's not just limited to one style of golf.”