Lowry's 62 Sets Course Record, Leads Irish Open — SkimNews
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- Shane Lowry set the course record with an 8-under 62 at Trump International Ireland on Friday, opening a three-shot lead at 11-under 129 going into the weekend at the Irish Open
- Lowry made birdie on half his holes, with only three birdies coming from outside 10 feet; a 10-foot par save on the 10th and two more birdies had him at 8-under through 12 before a three-putt bogey on 13 ended sub-60 thoughts
- Haotong Li shot 63 and is tied for second with Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard, who each carded 64 in calmer conditions after Thursday's wind-blown six-hour first round
- Defending champion Rory McIlroy three-putted the 18th from 4 feet for bogey in a 69, saying he struggled to read the greens; he sits nine shots off the lead
- President Donald Trump is due to visit the tournament over the weekend, when more rough weather is forecast
- Joaquín Niemann, the first-round leader, settled for a 70 and trails by six; Patrick Reed (68) is seven back, while five-time major winner Brooks Koepka holed a 15-foot birdie on the last for a 66 to make the cut on the number
Why it matters: Lowry's transformation from wanting to leave the course after Thursday's winds to a course-record 62 gives him a commanding three-shot cushion into a weekend that promises bad weather and a Trump visit. McIlroy credited Lowry's belief in his windy-links game—a known edge that could matter most when conditions turn rough again.
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