SHANE LOWRY CLIMBED inside the top 20 at the DP World Tour Championship with a second-round 67 on Friday.
A birdie-eagle-birdie run was the highlight of Lowry’s front nine in Dubai, capped by this chip-in for three at the par-five seventh.
World class short game @ShaneLowryGolf ☘️#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/QjDEwhgsTs
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2023
The Clara native added three more birdies across the back nine but lost some ground late on when his drive found water on the 18th, leading to a bogey six.
Lowry is now tied for 17th on five-under par, six behind Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolai Hojgaard who holds a two-shot advantage at the top of the leaderboard, with Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland among a five-strong chasing pack on nine-under.
Tom McKibbin is alongside Lowry on five-under after carding five birdies in a round of 68.
But there was disappointment for Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy who could only manage a level-par 72 and is currently tied for 34th on one-under par.
.@McIlroyRory with a dart at the sixth 🎯#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/OXpecgq3pz
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2023
“I was just stuck in neutral all day,” McIlroy said afterwards as he targets a low round on Saturday to move himself towards the head of proceedings.
“I hit eight out of nine greens on the front nine and I played nicely and I didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday.
“There is a low one out there and obviously I’m going to need a low one to get myself back in the tournament.”
