01로우리, 코스 기록 62타로 압도적 선두
셰인 로우리는 아마추어 시절 36홀 선도권을 잡은 지 17년 만에 다시 돈베그에서 11언더파 선두로 돌아왔다. 그는 9개의 버디와 1개의 보기를 기록한 62타로 코스 기록을 세웠다. DP World Tour 통산 4번째 62타 기록이었다.
"정말 즐거웠어요. 좋은 스타트를 끊었고, 그 뒤로 계속 나아갔어요. 기분도 좋았고요. 페달을 밟아 좋은 샷을 유지하고 퍼팅을 넣는 데만 집중했어요"라고 로우리는 말했다.
로우리는 리하오통, 야콥 스코프 올레센, 니클라스 뇌르가드로부터 3타 앞서 선도권을 장악했다.
02맨셀의 역전, 추격조의 경쟁
리처드 맨셀은 오프닝 라운드 76타의 충격에서 벗어나 63타 7언더파로 이날 최저 스코어를 작성했다. 보기 없는 완벽한 라운드였고, 파5 4번 홀에서 이글을 기록했다.
야콥 스코프 올레센과 니클라스 뇌르가드는 허스크바나 브리티시 마스터스 우승 2주 후 다시 함께 2위를 나누게 됐다. 두 선수 모두 64타를 기록했고, 리하오통도 같은 점수로 공동 2위에 올랐다.
올레센은 백9 14~16번 홀에서 버디 폭주를 펼쳤고, 뇌르가드는 18번 홀에서 홀을 위협한 뒤 클로징 버디로 마무리했다. 그는 이번 주 캐디 겸 코치가 된 자신의 코치 덕분이라며, "샷 사이사이에 좀 더 즐기는 데 집중했어요. 코칭보다는 친구처럼 있어 달라고 요청했고, 정말 즐겁게 라운드했어요"라고 전했다.
03매킬로이, 퍼팅 부진 속 하루이틀
수비 챔피언 로리 매킬로이는 연속 69타로 2언더파 20위 타이 위치에 있다. DP World Tour 2회 우승자인 그는 퍼팅 감을 잃으며 한 라운드를 더 치러야 한다고 느꼈다.
"조건이 조금 나았고, 그 덕분에 플레이 페이스도 빨랐어요. 코스는 공략할 수 있었고, 정말 낮은 스코어들이 많이 나왔어요. 저도 충분히 좋은 라운드를 칠 실력은 있었는데 퍼팅이 정말 잘 안 됐어요"라고 매킬로이는 말했다. "지난 이틀간 그린 읽기가 헷갈렸어요. 내일 퍼팅을 잘 치고 경쟁에 돌아오려고 해요".
04도널드의 홀아웃 이글, 주말로의 진출
루크 도널드는 67타로 토너먼트 주말 진출을 확보했다. 2번 홀에서 92야드 거리에서 이글을 홀아웃시켰다. 라이더컵 캡틴으로 확정된 도널드는 앰젠 아일랜드오픈 마지막 2라운드를 치른 뒤 에데어 매너로 선수 그룹을 이끌 계획이다.
05Original (English) — DP World Tour
Home hero Shane Lowry set the pace with a course record 62 to take the lead, Richard Mansell made the cut in style and Luke Donald's hole out eagle was among the best shots on day two of the Amgen Irish Open.
Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at Trump Interational Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg.
17 years after he held the 36 hole lead as an amateur, Shane Lowry delighted the home fans with a course record eight-under 62 on day two of the Amgen Irish Open.
The Irishman made nine birdies and one bogey at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg to set the target at 11 under par and take a three stroke lead over Haotong Li, Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard.
"It was nice. It was real fun out there," he said of his fourth ever 62 on the DP World Tour.
"I got off to a nice start and then I just kept going. I felt great out there. Just kept my foot on the gas and tried to keep hitting good shots and keep holing putts."
Before Shane Lowry went one better, it was Richard Mansell who carded the lowest round of the day with a seven under par 63. After an opening round six over par 76, Mansell's bogey-free round included five birdies and an eagle at the par five fourth.
A couple of weeks ago Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Nørgaard finished in a tie for second place at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, and they find themselves tied again in second place alongside Haotong Li after a pair of matching 64s in Doonbeg.
While Olesen put together a burst of birdies on his back nine from the 14th to 16th holes, it was Norgaard who got late cheers from the crowds after scaring the hole at the 18th and capping off his round with a closing birdie to join the chasing pack. He credited his caddie for a change in attitude this week.
"I think I've just been trying to have a little bit more fun in between shots. Now this week I have my coach on the bag, and I told him, please don't say too much coaching things, let's just be a friend out there. And then we have just been having some fun in between the shots."
Defending champion Rory McIlroy is hoping to turn it around tomorrow after back-to-back 69s during the opening two rounds currently see him in a tie for 20th on two under par.
The two-time Amgen Irish Open winner said he struggled to get the putter going but is hopeful he can mount a challenge over the weekend as he aims to catch Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry.
"The conditions were a little bit easier, and because of that, the pace of play was much better. The course was certainly gettable, there was a lot of pretty low scores out there. I felt like I hit it well enough to shoot a little one [score], but I just couldn't get the putter going at all."
"The last two days the greens have confused me a little bit, I've been struggling to read them. But hopefully I turn it around tomorrow, hole some putts, and try to get myself back in it."
Luke Donald made sure he was at Doonbeg for the weekend thanks to a brilliant 67 that included a hole out eagle from 92 yards at the second. The Ryder Cup Captain has already confirmed he and a group of players will be headed to Adare Manor after the conclusion of the Amgen Irish Open, but he's got a couple more rounds to go first!
There were plenty of memorable shots on day two, including hole outs, eagle putts from off the green and chip ins.
