SCOREBOARD:
Brown and Horschel both stand at -5 after 17 holes. Next are Rose, Lawrence, Burns, Henley, and Schauffele at -3 completing the round (F). Further, we have Lowry at -2 after 17 holes and Scheffler finishing the round (F).
Lowry’s shot wasn’t his best, falling short of the mark with a likely bogey to follow. On the other hand, despite being caught in a dodgy bunker position, Brown manages to reach the fringe of the green, earning praises for his skill. Despite an awkward lie, Brown manages to putt in for the bogey.
On the 18th, Rose and Horschel tee off with the drives of 234 and 242 respectively, the weather conditions taking a toll. Rose’s second shot lands him in the bunker while Horschel successfully bypasses all in his path around the green.
Finally, at long last, a successful putt and resulting par for Lowry, met with a substantial cheer from the spectators.
Driving from the 17th, Lowry, looking frustrated, ends in a bunker, showcasing the impact of the stormy conditions at a par 3 from 230 yards. Brown, however, has recovered quite well with a few birdies.
Rose settles for a bogey from the 17th bunker. With a slight lead, it seems that Brown and Horschel may just be the final pair to play on Sunday.
Completing (F) the round at 2 under and posting a solid 71, Scheffler, despite failing to sink any putts, holds a favourable position if the weather clears up. Meanwhile, Lowry holds his par at the 16th.
Shocking all, Brown has an excellent shot at the 16th to close, creating an opportunity for the decisive birdie of him leading by himself. He indeed did surprise everyone this week.
Taking the solo lead at -6, Brown putts a birdie!
At the 16th, Horschel, although stuck in a bunker, demonstrates a fantastic recovery, almost making a par. At the same hole, Rose barely misses his birdie, an impressive attempt all the same.
While Lowry barely makes the green at the 16th, a long-putt to follow certainly poses a challenge to remain in the game.
Scheffler, currently leading the world rankings, isn’t quite out of the competition yet. On the 17th, he delivers an impressive shot on the lengthy par 3, bringing himself back to a score of -2, in line with Lowry.
Unfortunately, Lowry had a missed drive at the 16th, landing him in a difficult position on the rough. His focus will need to be laser sharp to bounce back and he cannot afford to give up any more shots today.
Lowry finds himself in a tricky situation with a bogey, due to a shot landing in a stake-side bunker. He struggles with a difficult return shot which falls significantly short of the flag. Despite his best efforts, it’s another bogey on the scorecard and he falls back to -2, adding +5 for the day.
Meanwhile, Brown consistently makes par, remaining at a comfortable score of -5, leading Lowry by three shots. In parallel, Rose garners a par for himself, tenaciously maintaining his score with a streak of pars at the 10th. Him and Horschel, both seasoned players, adeptly maintain their composure amidst challenging playing conditions.
Despite his struggle with putting, Lowry executes a solid low drive on the 15th fairway. On the other hand, Brown, hovering near the spot where Horschel was positioned, gives his best shot on the green at the 15th.
Schauffele ends with a bogey on the last, although he manages a respectable round of 69 considering the conditions, placing him on an equal footing with the current club leaders at -3.
Lowry suffers another setback when he falls noticeably short on a lengthy putt, consequently scoring another bogey, bringing his total to 3 under.
Rose’s shot finds the audience on the 15th’s left whilst Horschel, having removed his rain gear, comes slightly short of the green. Horschel nevertheless deals with a challenging bunker shot quite effortlessly at the 14th, demonstrating his strength and managing to maintain his share of the lead.
In an unexpected turn of events, Scheffler falls short on a small putt at the 16th hole, ending with a -1. Coincidentally, another prominent player, Koepka, also didn’t have a favourable day, wrapping up the game with a 78 shot.
Meanwhile, Lowry narrowly misses hitting the green on the 14th hole. Despite missing by a hair’s breadth, he ascertains a satisfactory shot. While Brown settles for a layup on 13, he is left with a 15 feet putt for a par following his approach. As luck would have it, Schauffele manages an easy par despite not scoring a birdie. Lowry performs a decent lag putt and is pegged to make par.
Shortly afterwards, Brown misses the par putt while Lowry reduces the lead to just one following a hole in his par. Horschel performs an exquisite layup at the 13th hole, resulting in a par. He astonishingly manages a -3 in the challenging conditions displaying exceptional golfing skills. This positive momentum is matched by Rose who also finishes with a par.
Lowry, although forced to the fairway, has a considerable 220 yards left to go. Undeterred, he sends an iron shot cutting through the wind, positioning it neatly at the front of the green.
Proceeding to hole 16, Schauffele manages approximately 15 feet for a birdie following a superb approach shot. Unfortunately, Brown’s shot skews off-track at the 13th hole. Similarly, Lowry too lands in the rough, failing to clear the corner. All this while, Schauffele remains composed and hits the fairway on 16.
Brown makes an impressive recovery, hitting it quite close on 12 whilst Lowry sways off to the left. This could be a potential game-changer. Brown successfully makes the birdie, thereby leading the Open, much to the delight of his English fans.
Lowry’s luck takes a hit as he makes a bogey and consequently trails by two following an unfortunate match where his putt hits the lip. However, he shows resilience with a beautiful drive landing in the centre at the 12th hole, suggesting a good recompense. Interesting to note that, Pádraig Harrington achieved a level par 71 in the tournament, putting him in a respectful 27th tie.
Lowry doesn’t perform well and appears somewhat flustered as he manages to regain 5 feet for his bogey. He’s no longer leading independently but he would accept ending this hole on a tie. Brown hits par and stays at -5.
At the fourteenth, Schauffele executes another impressive approach but just comes up short. Now comes the essential bogey putt and Lowry delivers! He’s back to -5 after two consecutive poor shots, accepting his 5.
Lowry takes a poorly executed approach from 234 yards. He narrowly escapes further complications when his severely misjudged shot luckily hits an official’s foot. Brown, after laying up short, produces an effective long chip, getting it under 10 feet.
Lowry attempts a 62-yard shot but that also turns out to be a slight mishit, leaving him a lengthy putt for par. He expertly navigates the toughest drive of the day on the 11th, taking a beautiful corner cut and making solid contact.
At the 11th, Horschel isn’t too impressive with his laid-up approach and long putt, giving Lowry the opportunity to regain the lead. True to form, Horschel’s bogey brings him back to -5 and Lowry regains the lead. Rose saves par on the 11th, giving him a virtual birdie.
Lowry falls short again, missing out on more opportunities. He is visibly distressed as he puts his putter down, unable to comprehend why it hasn’t gone in.
Brown’s bogey on the 10th, missing the green with his pitch and failing the putt for par from the edge of the green, puts him one behind Horschel and Lowry.
Struggling in the rough, Brown hammers his way to around 40 yards short of the green. Lowry, despite finding himself in a rough, manages to get his shot onto the green and below the hole from 10 feet. It was a remarkable shot, even if it wasn’t planned!
In the 11th, Horschel finds himself stuck in the rough, albeit away from the railway and the whins. Despite facing a direct wind and a 504-yard distance ahead, he manages to drive at least 250 yards. Lowry, meanwhile, seems distressed after missing a fairway–a gorse bush is nearby, although hopefully not directly in the way.
At the 12th, Schauffele’s hopes for a birdie fall through despite a strong approach, whereas Horschel secures a par at the 10th, thus ticking off another hole. Meanwhile, at the challenging 11th, Scheffler delivers a fantastic stinger from a distance of 234 yards, sending it straight to the front of the green.
Lowry’s attempt at a birdie putt is unsuccessful, resulting in a one over front nine. Aside from a few missed putts and a single mistake at the Postage Stamp, his performance is solid–successfully hitting six of seven fairways and eight greens in total. However, he has the toughest part of the course, holes 10 to12, to face yet.
In the ninth, Brown struggles in the rough before finally making it to the periphery of the green. Meanwhile, after an impressive shot up the hill from the fairway, Lowry is just 15 feet away from the hole–a good comeback indeed.
Schauffele’s score slips to -4 at the 11th, after encountering a bogey in this challenging part. Henley, on the other hand, equals Lawrence and Burns’ clubhouse score of -3.
Horschel manages another birdie at the 9th, evening the scoreboard in the clubhouse, despite poor weather conditions. Lowry’s double bogey’s an unfortunate setback, particularly as his bogey putt looks so promising. His mistake means he’s tied with Brown for the lead with a score of -6.
Some issues arise for Lowry–he overshoots the green and finds it impossible to generate any backspin. He ends up on the other side of the green, but manages a decent pitch from some difficult turf. Nonetheless, he now has to make a 6 or 7 footer to avoid a double bogey.
Meanwhile, Horschel’s shot on the ninth is promising for yet another birdie and potential tie for lead. He just has to wait a few minutes to see the result.
On the renowned Postage Stamp, the 8th par 3, Brown lands his ball in the sand trap undermining his position in relation to Lowry. Brown’s grimace says it all as he joins Lowry in the awkward quagmire. Both golfers are in a challenging spot with difficult shots awaiting them.
Brown is at the centre of the sand pit with his eyes set away from the flagstick. His target is the green’s rear, relying on the dampness and ball spin to keep it on the green. On the other hand, a much trickier shot beckons Lowry, who can physically touch the ball courtesy of its proximity to Brown’s.
The birdie opportunity goes astray for Lowry! A significant chance missed as Brown successfully pots his ball, closing the gap to a solitary stroke. Coming up short, Horschel’s shot lands on the central part of the 8th green, leaving him a lengthy putt, whilst Rose’s glance at the flag results in an over-rotated shot, still providing a decent birdie opportunity.
From the vicinity of the 8th green, Brown creates a phenomenal angle, chipping the ball within a few feet. Lowry’s precision from 90 yards out should not be discounted, as he lands his ball no more than 10 feet from the hole.
Schauffele lands a birdie on the 10th, he’s doing fabulously, marking the day’s 4th under par score putting him an impressive five under par for the tournament, thanks to a masterclass in long-distance birdies.
Scheffler plays a great shot at the Postage Stamp, setting up a promising birdie as Burns logs a 65, courtesy of the fellow American’s stellar round.
Meanwhile, Brown makes a spectacular landing on the 8th green, sending it way off course on the 7th tee, leaving both Burmester and Scheffler thoroughly bewildered especially after Scheffler narrowly misses his putt. Lowry’s consistent performance continues, hitting every fairway and green so far, much to Rory’s delight.
Meanwhile, Horschel continues his stellar form, securing yet another birdie! So close yet so far, Lowry’s birdie on the 6th falls short, hitting the edge but refusing to roll in. Brown claims his birdie which sees Lowry’s advantage cut back to two strokes!
After dismissing his rain gear during the early holes, Horschel switches to a jacket and caps it off with a snazzy backwards cap, while making a casual approach within a couple of feet from the 6th hole to secure his birdie and improve his score to -4.
Shane Lowry delivers a well-played approach, teeing up at par 5 into wedge distance, creating an opportunity for an exterior birdie. Admittedly, Brown’s performance from 86 yards strokes superior, landing within feet. After the par 5 6th, Lowry stays consistent on the fairway despite Brown driving past him impressively further. Although in the near distance, Rose lands a wedge 10 feet uphill. On the 16th hole, Henley is left minus 3 after losing a shot.
Scoring an almost hole-in-one, Schauffele demonstrates an outstanding performance on the Postage Stamp. His superb shot, only inches away, garners him a birdie, taking him to minus 4. Brown just misses closing the gap, making a bold putt attempt at 5. Lowry also misses out by a narrow margin, but still lands a safe par. Meanwhile, Rose’s bogey at fourth puts him four below Lowry.
On the 5th hole, Lowry shows his prowess yet again, nailing a 212-yard iron to the green’s back. However, things take a slight turn on the par 5 6th, where Lowry’s chip at 4 overshot, causing it to skid without spinning 10 feet above the hole. As the weather worsens, Brown’s tee-off lands into a pot bunker, putting him at risk of losing a shot.
With a triumphant birdie, Lowry lands his first putt of the day, fist pumping in joy. Meanwhile, Lawrence has an opportunity to set his score at the 18th green while evading the rain, with his score already at 3 under. Lowry stays steady, driving accurately down the middle. His succeeding shot from 290 yards at the par 5 almost touches the green, hinting at a promising birdie chance should his chips match his initial shots. Rose pulls through with a fantastic shot from the rough after a not-so-stellar wood approach, converting it into a birdie at the par 5.
From the rough on the third hole, Brown makes a skillful shot, landing in the centre of the green. He follows up with a birdie putt, reducing his score difference with Lowry to two. Lowry, however, falls just short of a 36-foot putt on the third but still manages to make par.
On the par-5 fourth, Scheffler misses a birdie opportunity and remains at -3. Meanwhile, Lowry makes a steady start by locating another fairway. At the twelfth, Henley produces an excellent shot reaching a gimme distance and improves his score to -4. With this, he shares the second position.
Following 13 holes, Pádraig Harrington’s score has increased to +2 for the entire tournament. Brown’s second shot from the rough reaches the back of the green. Lowry, from the fairway middle, clocks 158 yards with a nice shot stopping at around 25 feet. Brown manages to save par, while Lowry misses a putt and drifts a few feet past the hole. Si Woo Kim made the longest hole-in-one in Open history in the early part of today.
Scheffler makes a birdie on the third hole which increases his score to -3 which cuts him just a stroke behind the second place. Lowry fires off with an iron down the fairway while Brown hits the rough.
Lowry narrowly misses a long birdie putt at the first hole and leaves himself a return put of about four feet. Brown’s chip goes past the hole making him miss the par. Lowry extends his lead to three with a successful par putt.
Rose strikes better at the second hole’s green. Eventhough it’s in the middle of the green, he leaves his putt short. Scheffler fully equiped in his grey rain gear as the weather worsens and gets a spin on the third for a birdie opportunity to hit -3.
Lowry pulls off a good shot from a pot bunker using a wedge and safely hits the middle of the green. Unfortunately, Brown bounces the ball over the green at the first hole after being in an awkward stance just above a bunker.
The first hole witnesses Justin Rose making a bogey due to an unsavoury approach and not managing to recover from the bunker.
Our live coverage continues into the third round of The Open Championship at Royal Troon. After securing top spot with scores of 66 and 69 over Thursday and Friday, Shane Lowry is currently leading by two shots. His excellent performance along with favourable weather conditions has certainly aided his position. The way he’s been in command throughout the games, striking balls effortlessly, draws parallels with his 2019 performance at Portrush amidst challenging wind conditions.
Neil Manchip, Lowry’s coach, stood by his side at the tee, offering final bits of advice. Lowry, who endured a less-than-stellar start with his initial tee shot landing in a bunker, is set to tee off at 3.45pm.
There’s no denying that Lowry’s performance is commanding much attention. Despite this, some are turning their eyes towards PGA Champion Xander Schauffele who managed to birdie the second and third holes, raising his score to three under. Then there’s Pádraig Harrington who’s also been performing well today, with a score of -2 for the day and +1 overall, finishing tied in 20th position after the 10th hole.
Of course, we can’t leave out Rory McIlroy who sadly didn’t make the cut yesterday but is cheering for Lowry. Also noteworthy are Tom McKibbin and Darren Clarke who are at +10 and +11 respectively.
From the dark horse corner, we’ve got Daniel Brown, the English golfer who wasn’t known to be a strong contender prior to the tournament but now shares the second spot alongside veteran links golfer, Justin Rose. In terms of possible threats, world number one Scottie Scheffler with his six victories this year and a Masters title will be one to follow as he aims to extend his impressive records.
Looking at the current leaderboard:
-7 Shane Lowry
-5 Daniel Brown, Justin Rose
-3 Thriston Lawrence (at 13th hole)
-2 Scottie Scheffler (at 1st hole), Dean Burmester (at 1st hole), Russell Henley (at 9th hole), Xander Schauffele (at 2nd hole), Billy Horschel.
Stay tuned for ongoing coverage.