SHANE LOWRY AND Rory McIlroy are both in the mix for Olympic medals after the Irish pair shot excellent second rounds at the Kasumigaseki Country Club today.
McIlroy went into day two six shots off the lead, with Lowry a further shot back, but the pair surged up the leaderboard despite difficult conditions in Tokyo.
Lowry went around in 65, hitting one bogey and seven birdies, while McIlroy shot an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys on his way to a five-under 66.
The pair are both now on seven-under for the tournament, four shots behind leader Xander Schauffele.
Earlier on Friday thunder and lightning had forced play to be stopped for over two hours.
12 birdies and 1 eagle combined by the gentlemen from #IRL today.@McIlroyRory and @ShaneLowryGolf are both 7-under and T4 through 36 holes @Olympics #Golf pic.twitter.com/Chy4Cdr0tM
— Olympic Golf (@OlympicGolf) July 30, 2021
At that stage McIlroy sat four under for the day and three shots off leader Carlos Ortiz after 13 holes, with four birdies moving Lowry to three under for the day and tied for 14th with 12 holes played.
And the pair were able to pick up where they left off when play resumed, their superb second rounds leaving them tied for sixth and in a strong position at the halfway mark.
Mexico’s Ortiz followed up his opening round 65 with a second round 67 to remain on 10-under, but was overtaken at the top of the leaderboard as Schauffele hit six birdies and two eagles for a eight-under round of 63, the American moving to 11-under for the tournament.
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