LOWRY IN HIS ELEMENT
Local hero copes with the weather better than most to take joint lead
HAD Shane Lowry wished for a few moments to reflect on what he was doing, the opportunity came in the small player access tunnel that runs under a sand dune between the 10th green and the 11th tee.
Portrush’s new favourite Irishman had just rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt to reach 10 under par for the Open and minus six for the day’s play.
Waiting in the tunnel as the group in front teed off, Lowry sat alone, away from the drizzle that had started to roll in from the sea and out of the glare of the cameras that were following his every move across these Dunluce Links.
‘There are people out here who wanna see ya,’ came a shout.
Lowry just smiled that lazy smile and took a swig from his water bottle. To his left sat Phil Mickelson, snacking from a bag of nuts and looking as though a flight home to California could not come soon enough.
In front of him stood the South African Branden Grace, who said: ‘So, you are from a different part or Ireland, right?’
‘Yeah, further down,’ replied Lowry. ‘It’s very different to here.’
Lowry is from south of the border but this weekend he will belong to everyone as Ireland pulls for a home winner. The banner draped over the balcony of a house behind the fourth tee has so far rotated between support for Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke. Now there is another name to ink.
After an opening 67, Lowry once again constructed the foundations of another
progressive day on the front nine. Cheered wildly on to the first, he swept his drive away with confidence and birdies followed on four of the first five holes.
When he dropped a seven iron over the top of the pin on the eighth, only two and a half feet stood between the 32-year-old and glorious isolation at the top of the leaderboard.
Down to his right it was no longer possible to tell what was sea and what was sky, as the kind playing conditions of the morning gave way to mist and rain that briefly swirled on a strengthening breeze.
Mickelson was by now wearing a full rain suit and two gloves. As Lowry rolled in his putt, he was still in his shirt sleeves.
Lowry has always swung the club beautifully. Those who know say he should have won more. Here, his languid rhythm was beautifully repetitive as fairways and greens continued to be found.
After the delay following birdie number six at the 10th, further chances presented themselves on 11, 12 & 13.
This was Lowry’s opportunity to put some distance between himself and the field, but when none were taken in worsening weather, it was always going to be a challenge to reach the clubhouse with his lead intact. The contrast with the morning groupings was now clear. The likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, JB Holmes and Justin Rose had made their scores in summer time.
For Lowry, the back nine had an altogether more autumnal feel — and not in a good way.
Almost inevitably, stumbles followed. A three-putt at 14 was careless and after impressive up and downs at 16 and 17, a short iron was struck fat on the 18th and the resulting bogey took back the sole lead Lowry had seized 10 holes earlier.
‘I have never duffed a shot like that and I don’t know what happened,’ he said with a smile. ‘But I really, really enjoyed today. I haven’t had many days like that. It was unbelievable.’
Lowry has had one brush with major tournament glory, falling away after leading the US Open midway through the final round three years ago. This time, he feels he is ready.
‘I’m over that and in a great place mentally,’ he said. ‘There’s no point shying away from what could happen this week and I’ll enjoy it.
‘Next week I will be in Memphis, playing in front of one man and a dog.’
If he goes to Tennessee as the 2019 Open champion, that is unlikely to be the case.