Shane Lowry, familiar with the demanding challenges of the Bay Hill course, stuck to his usual cautious approach during the second round in Orlando. His carefully composed score of 71, combined with an initial score of 66, yielded a halfway total of seven-under-par 137. This made him the current leader in the €18 million Arnold Palmer Invitational and brought him one step closer to his first PGA Tour victory since his 2019 Open triumph. The difficulties faced by many other competitors, including his friend Tommy Fleetwood who scored 10 on a single hole, emphasized the value of patience on a course that gives as much as it takes. Participating as a sponsor’s invitee in the restricted tournament, Lowry finally found a way to appreciate the unique charm of Arnie’s home. Lowry has dealt with his fair share of setbacks in the past, which includes missing cuts in 2021, 2019, 2018, and 2015 games that meant heading home on successive Friday nights. But following his successful fourth-place tie in the recent Cognizant Classic, he demonstrated a newfound passion and affinity for the challenges posed by this course. “I’m quite pleased with where I am at the moment. Obviously, there are no trophies handed out on a Friday, so I’ll just persevere over the weekend and see where I end up on Sunday,” he remarked after ending his round spectacularly with a setup wedge approach which resulted in a final birdie, putting him in a singular lead. Lowry, though visibly focused and showing signs of frustration occasionally, navigated the course which constantly toughened, producing five birdies and four bogeys, keeping him firm in the competition which has been upgraded to a prestigious status. He went on to comment on the importance of maintaining a cool mindset on a hardening course and shared some of his own experiences of nerve-wracking moments.
Rory McIlroy expressed his frustration over a few missed shots on the 17th and 14th during a recent golf match. Despite feeling that his shots had been spot-on, both landed beyond the green, causing the game to become considerably tough for him. Specifically, the difficulty escalated on the 17th, where a difference of six inches shorter or a foot further could have led to an easier chip shot for him. He acknowledged that this golf course has a knack for serving such challenges and it requires one’s mental alertness to give the best shot and sink the putts when needed.
Having posted a disappointing opening round score of 73, McIlroy had enlisted the assistance of his putting coach, Brad Faxon, for extended practice sessions on the green. Despite these efforts, he managed to add a second-round score of 70, consisting of six birdies and four bogeys, bringing his total to 143. This score ensured his presence in the match for the forthcoming weekend, keeping his hopes for progress alive.
McIlroy admitted that he feels uncertain about the exact statistical details of his performance but he had definitely perceived some improvements on the field. He emphasized not having practiced much on anything apart from speed, as he felt it was a bit off. The greens seemed faster than he expected, therefore his focus was on being more assertive with his speeds.
Meanwhile, Séamus Power had a challenging time with a double bogey seven on the 6th hole of the Par 5, which led him to a second-round score of 74 to 144.
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