Lowry surge boosts hopes of FedEx Cup spot
SHANE LOWRY kept his hopes alive of making the play-offs and retaining his PGA Tour card when he moved into contention at the Barracuda Championship in Reno.
The Offaly man (31) is 159th in the race to make the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings after the Wyndham Championship on August 19.
And while he knows a solo third-place finish could leave him within touching distance of safety with two events of the regular season remaining, a win would catapult him into the top 100 and secure a two-year exemption.
He took a big step along that road at Montreux Golf & Country Club last night when he made seven birdies and two bogeys to rack up 12 modified stableford points and move up to tied third on 22 points.
Making the top 125 in the FedEx Cup is tough enough for 123rd-ranked Seamus Power without getting stung by hornets.
The West Waterford man was among the late starters last night and after getting stung by hornets on Thursday, he was looking for a happier outcome.
“I got swarmed by five or six of them and they stung me quite a bit,” said Power, who was attacked while searching for playing partner Corey Conners’ golf ball on his 10th hole of the day.
“A couple got under my shirt and stung me. I’ve been stung before, but never anything like that.”
Padraig Harrington (222nd) and Graeme McDowell (143rd) desperately need a big week to boost their chances of making the play-offs but neither made in-roads yesterday.
Harrington’s meagre haul of two birdies was erased by three bogeys and he accumulated just one point to share 51st on seven points with McDowell, who made two birdies and one bogey yesterday to add three points to his tally.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy has been paired with Tiger Woods and reigning champion Justin Thomas at the USPGA Championship, which starts at Bellerive on Thursday.
Paul Dunne was ten strokes behind clubhouse leaders Ian Poulter, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas in the WGCBridgestone Invitational in Akron.
The Greystones star goes into the third round on oneunder par after he birdied the 17th and 18th from close range to card a two-under 68 at Firestone Country Club, where McIlroy was one of the afternoon starters.
On the Challenge Tour, Gavin Moynihan bogeyed his final hole to miss the cut by a shot in the Swedish Challenge.
He shot a one-over 73 to finish on one-under, with Neil O’Briain (72) and Cormac Sharvin (74) also cut on one-over and three-over respectively.
England’s Max Orrin shot a second successive 67 to lead by three strokes on 10-under.
At the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, Paul McGinley (72) is tied 32nd on four-under, with Ronan Rafferty (69) threeunder. Brendan McGovern (68) and Des Smyth (70) were tied 41st on two-under, but Philip Walton (71) and Eamonn Darcy (75) missed the cut.
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Live, Sky Sports Golf, 6.30