We’ve reached the midway point of the British Open and Shane Lowry is in full control of the leaderboard.
Lowry dropped to 7-under after his second-round 69 on Friday, giving him a two-shot lead over the field heading into the moving day at Royal Troon, Scotland. He had a leg up in the second round as the strong winds absolutely smashed the afternoon wave and sent many of the big names home early.
Leading after the first round, Daniel Brown shot a 1-over 72 on Friday. He’ll start the week at 5-under Saturday with Justin Rose, who matched the day’s low round of 3-under 68 on Friday. First trio from England and Ireland to lead the British Open at the midway point since 1951.
Top-ranked Scotty Scheffler will start the day at 2-under five shots behind Lowry. Scheffler, who has already won six times on the PGA Tour this season, is coming off a playoff win at the Travelers Championship.
With a birdie on the 16th, his fifth of the day, Daniel Brown is back in the solo lead. Unbelievable
Billy Horschel, again
Billy Horschel saves it all today. He went up and down and almost chipped after his ball was tucked into the bunker at the 16th.
Scheffler is close to the ace
Scottie Scheffler almost matched Si Woo Kim’s hole-in-one on the 17th! What a shot.
That didn’t turn out well either.
What an incredible act to have a role in front of Billy Horschel. He is tied with Brown at 5-under.
Two-shot swing to Daniel Brown
Daniel Brown is back in the lead after a two-shot swing at No. 12. Brown made his birdie putt, while Shane Lowry missed a very makeable par putt to return to 4-under.
Leaderboard
1. Brown (-6)
2. Horschel (-5)
T3. Lori (-4)
T3. Justin Rose
T3. Xander Schauffele
Lowry goes way back with the bogeys, Horschel and Brown
It didn’t last long. Shane Lowry dropped back to 5-under after hitting a bogey at the 11th with a rough drive.
He is now reunited with Billy Horschel and Daniel Brown in the lead.
Lori again in solo lead
Shane Lowry is back on top after Daniel Brown and Billy Horschel both made a bogey. Let’s see how long it lasts
Dustin Johnson from DEEP
This should go down as the pudding of the day. Unbelievable
Backward Hot Billy joins the leaders
Backwards Hot Billy is now the co-leader at the British Open. After his fourth birdie to close out his front nine, Horschel tied Lowry and Brown at 6-under.
Daniel Brown, Co-Chair
Shane Lowry made double on the par-3 8th after landing his drive in the bunker, prompting a huge swing. Daniel Brown is out, so the two lead at 6-under.
Xander Schauffele and Billy Horschel are suddenly a shot back. As for Lori, well…
Only 3 players since 2000 have won The Open with more than one double bogey that week, the last being Mickelson in 2013. It was Lori’s second set of twins.
As it is, Shane Lowry’s lead is only one shot. Daniel Brown carded 7-under birdies even after his errant tee shot on the 7th.
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Daniel Brown, like us
Daniel Brown takes out Dean Burmester in the post… from the wrong hole.
Sander throws javelins
We arrived This is Another hole-in-one close today at Royal Troon. Xander Schauffele stuck a close one for a birdie at the postmark to get to 4 under.
After a tough Friday afternoon weather-wise, many golfers took full advantage of the brief benign conditions at Royal Troon on Saturday morning.
Then it rained again.
Click on the photo to read more about Saturday’s early tide at Royal Troon. (AP/Peter Morrison)
Lowry pushed his lead to 3
Shane Lowry’s lead continues to grow at the par-5 4th after his first birdie of the day. He now scored 3 runs as the rain began to fall heavily at Royal Troon.
Brown steadies the ship after an early bogey
Daniel Brown made a bogey on No. 1 after an errant tee shot, but rallied with a birdie on 3 to get back into contention at 5 under and tied for second. He was completely unconcerned for 2+ rounds in his major championship debut.
Russell Henley’s quality third round continues
On the day at 6-under 12, Henley moved into second place, and his approach was excellent. Not everyone can hit an iron like this from the first cut…but putt? Your typical weekend fourball is a gimme
