SHANE LOWRY IS in a tie for the lead at the halfway mark of the Dubai Invitational, on a day when first rounder leader Rory McIlroy slipped back to a tie for fifth.
Lowry’s three-under 68 sees him share the lead on five-under alongside Spain’s Nacho Elvira, two shots clear of Marcus Armitage (England) and David Puig (Spain).
McIlroy was eight shots worse off than in his opening round, as he found the water four times in a round that saw him produce a three-over 74 and fall to two-under alongside Thriston Lawrence, Antoine Rozner, and Angel Ayora.
Lowry, who carded a 69 yesterday, got off to a fast start to his second round with back-to-back birdies in his opening two holes, tapping in from a couple of feet after a superb approach to the second.
A three-putt on the par-five 4th hole saw Lowry drop a shot, and while he birdied the next thanks to another excellent approach to within a foot, his front nine concluded with another bogey after he missed a six-footer for par.
Lowry’s back nine began on a bright note with birdie on the 10th, a superb 24-foot putt dropping for the Offaly native, and his tee shot on the 16th landed within three feet to set up a fifth birdie of the day.
McIlroy, the overnight leader after a first round 66, moved to six-under early in his round today with a birdie on the par-four 3rd as he sank a 16-foot putt.
But his form slumped from there as he was three-over for his next 12 holes and failed to pick up any shots in that time frame. His tee shot on the sixth found water and that paved the way for a bogey five, and finding the rough with his tee shot on the 9th saw him scramble for another bogey five. He found water again off the tee on the par-three 14th for another dropped shot.
McIlroy arrested his slide with a birdie on the par-three 16th, draining a monster 45-foot putt, but handed that shot back at the next hole with a bogey after he found water once more off the tee. A difficult day was capped off by a 13-footer for par on the last that didn’t drop as the reigning Masters champion finished three-over today with five bogeys on his card.
Tom McKibbin is five-over after his round of 73 today to go with yesterday’s 74, Padraig Harrington is on the same mark for the tournament after a round of 75 today.
Lowry co-leader after second round in Dubai as McIlroy falls back
SHANE LOWRY IS in a tie for the lead at the halfway mark of the Dubai Invitational, on a day when first rounder leader Rory McIlroy slipped back to a tie for fifth.
Lowry’s three-under 68 sees him share the lead on five-under alongside Spain’s Nacho Elvira, two shots clear of Marcus Armitage (England) and David Puig (Spain).
McIlroy was eight shots worse off than in his opening round, as he found the water four times in a round that saw him produce a three-over 74 and fall to two-under alongside Thriston Lawrence, Antoine Rozner, and Angel Ayora.
Lowry, who carded a 69 yesterday, got off to a fast start to his second round with back-to-back birdies in his opening two holes, tapping in from a couple of feet after a superb approach to the second.
A three-putt on the par-five 4th hole saw Lowry drop a shot, and while he birdied the next thanks to another excellent approach to within a foot, his front nine concluded with another bogey after he missed a six-footer for par.
Lowry’s back nine began on a bright note with birdie on the 10th, a superb 24-foot putt dropping for the Offaly native, and his tee shot on the 16th landed within three feet to set up a fifth birdie of the day.
McIlroy, the overnight leader after a first round 66, moved to six-under early in his round today with a birdie on the par-four 3rd as he sank a 16-foot putt.
But his form slumped from there as he was three-over for his next 12 holes and failed to pick up any shots in that time frame. His tee shot on the sixth found water and that paved the way for a bogey five, and finding the rough with his tee shot on the 9th saw him scramble for another bogey five. He found water again off the tee on the par-three 14th for another dropped shot.
McIlroy arrested his slide with a birdie on the par-three 16th, draining a monster 45-foot putt, but handed that shot back at the next hole with a bogey after he found water once more off the tee. A difficult day was capped off by a 13-footer for par on the last that didn’t drop as the reigning Masters champion finished three-over today with five bogeys on his card.
Tom McKibbin is five-over after his round of 73 today to go with yesterday’s 74, Padraig Harrington is on the same mark for the tournament after a round of 75 today.
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Dubai Golf Rory McIlroy Shane Lowry