SHANE LOWRY AND Rory McIlroy remain in the hunt at the Cognizant Classic after back-nine surges at PGA National.

Both men enter Saturday three shots back from halfway leader Bud Cauley after a four-under-par 67s, with each of them carding four birdies after the turn in Florida.

Lowry, who finished second in this competition in 2022, birdied holes 10 through 13 — holing from 14 feet on both 11 and 12 — and is well positioned to make a move in his third round.

The Offaly man caught fire after a front nine in which he birdied the par-five third and bogeyed the par-three seventh, but may rue further missed birdie opportunities on 17 and 18.

McIlroy made an even later charge, birdieing three of his last four holes, including the last, to match Lowry’s round.

The Northern Irishman, who won the tournament in 2012 and lost a playoff in 2014, went bogey-birdie-birdie on his first three holes before parring out his front nine. He birdied again on 10 before dropping a shot on 12 — his only bogey on the back nine — but finished strongly to claim a share of sixth alongside his close friend and Olympic teammate.

Both he and Lowry also carded 67s in their opening rounds and they both sit eight under par for the tournament.

Leader Bud Cauley is a shot clear of his American compatriot Austin Eckroat as well as South Africa’s Garrick Higgo.

Read the full leaderboard here.