Shane Lowry Leads The Open After Blustery Second Round

Ireland’s Shane Lowry leads The Open by two strokes at the halfway stage after a challenging second round at Royal Troon. Lowry, the 2019 champion, posted a two-under 69, bringing him to seven under par overall. “To shoot in the 60s is very good any day on this course, even when the conditions aren’t this bad. I’m very happy,” Lowry told BBC Sport NI, referring to the 30mph winds that affected play.

England’s Justin Rose and Dan Brown trail by two strokes, both at five under. Rose holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th to cap a phenomenal 68, despite the harsh conditions. “It was the type of day where the course was relentless,” Rose said. Brown, the surprise round one leader, managed a 72.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is three strokes further back, tied at two under with compatriot Billy Horschel and South African Dean Burmester. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are among those at one under.

The cut mark was set at six over par, with notable players missing the cut, including Rory McIlroy (+11) and Tiger Woods (+14). “I didn’t adapt well and the wind got the better of me,” McIlroy admitted. Woods, despite drawing significant attention, finished with a six-over 77 and remains optimistic about future participation, stating, “I’ve got better, even though my results really haven’t shown it.”

Lowry had a shaky moment on the 11th hole, hitting into a gorse bush and taking a double-bogey, but he recovered with birdies on the 16th and 18th. “I faced a little bit of adversity in the middle of the round and I’m happy with how I dealt with it,” Lowry said.

Dan Brown continues to be a surprise contender, showing resilience in tough conditions. “It did feel more of a grind,” Brown said, expressing his comfort with links golf despite the challenges.