TROON, Scotland (AP) — Shane Lowry was a stunning model of calm amid all the mayhem at the British Open on Friday.
Lowry was not immune to the endless punishment they dished out at Royal Troon on a day when Tiger Woods missed another cut, along with nine of the world’s top 20 players – including Rory McIlroy, Ludwig Amberg and Bryson Deschamps.
He nearly lost his cool with a distracting photographer, a shot into the bush, a beautiful temporary shot on the 11th green that didn’t count when his lost ball was found and a double bogey that wiped out his two. pencil shot.
Lowry was left with two birdies over the final three holes for a 2-under 69, leaving him in a familiar position as he chases that silver jug he first won at Royal Portrush five years ago. He had a two-shot lead over Justin Rose and Daniel Brown heading into the weekend.
“I was in control of my ball, I did all the right things for a lot of the round. Then when I got into a little bit of trouble, I feel like I finished the round really well,” Lowry said. “I am very happy with the day. To be in charge of this tournament after two days is why you come here. That’s why we’re here.”
The shock at Royal Troon – there were many on Friday – was how many of the top players were leaving.
DeChambeau, the US Open champion with a top-10 finish in all majors this year, managed just one birdie in a round of 75. McIlroy would need anything less than that, and those hopes ended with a triple-bogey 8 at the fourth his hole. He shot 75.
“I’d rather have a disappointing Sunday than go home on Friday,” said McIlroy, who was coming off a late collapse that cost him the US Open.
Woods had a 77 to miss the cut at his third straight major, this one by eight shots. His 36-hole score of 156 matched his highest score as a professional.
Lowry was 7-under 135, and only nine other players remained under par after two days of damaging wind off the Irish Sea.
Brown, playing in his first major league, held it together for a 72 that puts him in the final weekend group with Lowry. Rose wasn’t even sure he would be at Troon until he went through the 36-hole qualifier at the start of the month. He bogeyed 29 holes before finally bogeying and then finishing strong for a 68.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler hit a bunker off the tee at the 18th and bogeyed, but was otherwise solid as ever for another 70. He was tied for fourth just five shots back, along with Billy Horschel (68) and Dean Burmester (69).
“I know tomorrow is going to be a long day, but I’ve done it before,” Lowry said. “For me, it’s just going out there and playing my game, getting the best score I can. Try not to worry about what other people are doing and just try to take care of your personal stuff.”
It was best to keep blinders on at Royal Troon. There were some creepy scenes.
Justin Thomas, who opened with a 68 to get into the mix, carded a 45 on the front nine and played his best golf from there to salvage a 78 and make sure he at least made the cut.
Robert MacIntyre had an even more difficult start. Scotland’s biggest star after winning his national Open last week, MacIntyre was stuck in potted bunkers and tall grass. It was 8 over four holes – four holes! — and then played 4 under the rest of the way for a remarkable 75 to make the cut.
The cut was at 6-over 148.
Aguri Iwasaki had defeated them all. He carded a 9 on consecutive holes and shot a 52 on the back nine for a 91. One of those 9s was on the par-3 14th, where he pulled four shots from two bunkers and once had to backtrack to the fairway.
McIlroy, who opened with a 78, needed a good start and instead got a triple bogey. He barely got the ball out of thick grass on the par-5 fourth. Once back on the fairway, he took another shot into the rough, dropped it into the bunker and ended the sorry tale by missing a 4-foot putt.
“I just made 8 on the fourth hole which was – 22 holes in the event and I’m thinking about where I’m going on holiday next week,” McIlroy said.
PGA Champion Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were in the group at 1-under 141.
Another hit was Joaquin Nieman. He had another 71 despite making a five-over 8 on the par-3 eighth hole – the hallmark – which is just 123 yards long. He was in three bunkers around the tiny green and teed when he finally got out of them. Niemann also made six birdies in a most remarkable par-level round.
So much chaos in the age-old links, and it looked for a brief moment that Lowry might join. He was in the right rough, but he got distracted by a photographer and was angry with himself for not reversing the shot he pulled to the left towards a clump of fry.
Figuring he would get lost in the messy chaos, Lowry hit a layup for a loose ball on the green, a terrific shot. One problem. Someone found the ball. It was no longer lost, so the temporary ball was not in play.
Lowry hit a penalty from the bush, returning to find a spot where he had a swing, put it near the green, hit and saved a double bogey 6.
“To be honest, I was pretty happy to get out of there with a 6. It wasn’t a disaster. I was still leading the tournament,” Lowry said.
And now comes a big chance for Lowry to reclaim that claret jug. He’s not alone in the pursuit, especially with Troon’s ability to make anyone look foolish. Scheffler quietly avoided some of these moments.
“I’ve played two solid rounds and he’s put me five shots back, and I’m just going to keep trying to execute and just keep trying to hit good shots and hit good shots,” Scheffler said, making it all sound so simple. a day when nothing was easy.
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