LOW SCORING CONTINUES IN IRISH OPEN
Lawrie (66) wins £40,000 car with hole
in one but it's amateur Lowry who leads
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE & AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Irish amateur international Shane Lowry enjoyed a European Tour debut beyond even his own wildest dreams as the 22-year-old took a two-shot lead into the weekend at The 3 Irish Open after a scintillating day of golf at County Louth.
He is only the second amateur to lead at the halfway stage of a European Tour event and his brilliant second-day score of 10-under-par 62 equalled the lowest ever amateur round on the circuit. Sven Struver, when he was an amateur, also shot a 62 some 20 years ago.
Lowry, who has a handicap of +5, marked his first round on the European Tour with a five under 67 on Thursday but in the second round he surpassed Francesco Molinari’s course record with the 62 to go to 15 under par 129 over the Baltray links at the halfway stage.
Molinari’s fortunes were a complete contrast – his overnight lead counted for nothing as he was disqualified for a scorecard error in his second round 73.
Lowry’s nearest challengers on 131 are England’s Robert Rock, who shot 65 today, and Wales' Jamie Donaldson, who are a stroke better off than Paul Lawrie. The Aberdonian enjoyed a hole in one at the 17th.
“It was 196 yards, a little downhill, a little downwind off the left, and I hit a beautiful shot,” said 199 Open championship winner at Carnoustie.
“As soon as I hit it, it was straight down the pin. You've obviously always got to get a little lucky for it to go in, but it was a nice shot.”
That ace earned Paul Lawrie a bonus prize of a new car worth £40,000. As a man who loves driving new cars, Christmas has come early for Paul in a week which started with a storm in a tea cup with Meldrum House's board of directors terminating his honorary membership and telling him not to come back after he had the audacity to criticise the £1,500-a-year, members' only club at Oldmeldrum.
More important, a pair of 66s for 12-under 132 has given Lawrie a chance to score his first European Tour win for seven years.
The course record is not Shane Lowry’s, however. Ryder Cup player Graeme McDowell from north of the Border looked unlikely to play over the weekend when he opened with a 77 on Thursday, but he improved by a staggering 16 strokes, carding an eagle and ten birdies in an incredible 11 under par 61 – only a shot shy of The European Tour’s lowest ever round.
“I think I shot 61 one other time in practice," said the delighted Ulsterman.
“You know, 77 wasn't really what I was looking for on the first day. I was extremely disappointed, obviously to come here in front of my home fans and disappoint the way I did. But I took a the lot of positives away at the same time because I knew I had not played that badly.
"I drove the ball particularly bad and I had putted awful, but apart from that, there was some signs that my iron play was there or thereabouts and there was some good stuff happening.
“I certainly thought 66 was 'on' before I started today, get myself to one under, two under par might have got me in for the weekend and that's was what I set my sights on.
"In hindsight I did need something ridiculously low to get in. I can't believe how low the cut is, it’s just crazy on a links like Baltray but a testament to how good these guys are.”
To qualify for the third and fourth rounds, a player had to shoot four-under-par 140 or better for the first 36 holes.
One Irishman, however, had nothing to celebrate. Local hero Padraig Harrington failed to survive the halfway cut despite improving five shots on his opening 73 with a 68 and American star John Daly (68-75 for 143) went out as well.
As well as Harrington, three Scots were on three-under-par 141 and missed the cut. Richie Ramsay scored 72 and 69, Stephen Gallacher 68 and 73, Steven O'Hara 70 and 71.
On the bright side, backing up Paul Lawrie in the top 20 or so after 36 holes are Alastair Forsyth (67-68), Colin Montgomerie (70-65) and Gary Orr (68-67), all on 135.
Marc Warren (67-69 for 136) and David Drysdale (69-68 for 137) also made the cut with something to spare.
in one but it's amateur Lowry who leads
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE & AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Irish amateur international Shane Lowry enjoyed a European Tour debut beyond even his own wildest dreams as the 22-year-old took a two-shot lead into the weekend at The 3 Irish Open after a scintillating day of golf at County Louth.
He is only the second amateur to lead at the halfway stage of a European Tour event and his brilliant second-day score of 10-under-par 62 equalled the lowest ever amateur round on the circuit. Sven Struver, when he was an amateur, also shot a 62 some 20 years ago.
Lowry, who has a handicap of +5, marked his first round on the European Tour with a five under 67 on Thursday but in the second round he surpassed Francesco Molinari’s course record with the 62 to go to 15 under par 129 over the Baltray links at the halfway stage.
Molinari’s fortunes were a complete contrast – his overnight lead counted for nothing as he was disqualified for a scorecard error in his second round 73.
Lowry’s nearest challengers on 131 are England’s Robert Rock, who shot 65 today, and Wales' Jamie Donaldson, who are a stroke better off than Paul Lawrie. The Aberdonian enjoyed a hole in one at the 17th.
“It was 196 yards, a little downhill, a little downwind off the left, and I hit a beautiful shot,” said 199 Open championship winner at Carnoustie.
“As soon as I hit it, it was straight down the pin. You've obviously always got to get a little lucky for it to go in, but it was a nice shot.”
That ace earned Paul Lawrie a bonus prize of a new car worth £40,000. As a man who loves driving new cars, Christmas has come early for Paul in a week which started with a storm in a tea cup with Meldrum House's board of directors terminating his honorary membership and telling him not to come back after he had the audacity to criticise the £1,500-a-year, members' only club at Oldmeldrum.
More important, a pair of 66s for 12-under 132 has given Lawrie a chance to score his first European Tour win for seven years.
The course record is not Shane Lowry’s, however. Ryder Cup player Graeme McDowell from north of the Border looked unlikely to play over the weekend when he opened with a 77 on Thursday, but he improved by a staggering 16 strokes, carding an eagle and ten birdies in an incredible 11 under par 61 – only a shot shy of The European Tour’s lowest ever round.
“I think I shot 61 one other time in practice," said the delighted Ulsterman.
“You know, 77 wasn't really what I was looking for on the first day. I was extremely disappointed, obviously to come here in front of my home fans and disappoint the way I did. But I took a the lot of positives away at the same time because I knew I had not played that badly.
"I drove the ball particularly bad and I had putted awful, but apart from that, there was some signs that my iron play was there or thereabouts and there was some good stuff happening.
“I certainly thought 66 was 'on' before I started today, get myself to one under, two under par might have got me in for the weekend and that's was what I set my sights on.
"In hindsight I did need something ridiculously low to get in. I can't believe how low the cut is, it’s just crazy on a links like Baltray but a testament to how good these guys are.”
To qualify for the third and fourth rounds, a player had to shoot four-under-par 140 or better for the first 36 holes.
One Irishman, however, had nothing to celebrate. Local hero Padraig Harrington failed to survive the halfway cut despite improving five shots on his opening 73 with a 68 and American star John Daly (68-75 for 143) went out as well.
As well as Harrington, three Scots were on three-under-par 141 and missed the cut. Richie Ramsay scored 72 and 69, Stephen Gallacher 68 and 73, Steven O'Hara 70 and 71.
On the bright side, backing up Paul Lawrie in the top 20 or so after 36 holes are Alastair Forsyth (67-68), Colin Montgomerie (70-65) and Gary Orr (68-67), all on 135.
Marc Warren (67-69 for 136) and David Drysdale (69-68 for 137) also made the cut with something to spare.
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, May 15, 2009
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