Shane Lowry faced self-inflicted setbacks for the second consecutive week. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he initially managed to make the cut but was ultimately eliminated due to a critical late error. Just five days after squandering a three-shot lead at the Cognizant Classic with double bogeys on the 16th and 17th in the final round, Lowry bogeyed the 18th from the middle of the fairway, missing the Bay Hill cut by a single stroke.
After eight pars and one birdie on the front nine, he was one shot inside the two-over cut line. However, following a double bogey on the 11th when his approach shot found water, he spectacularly chipped in from 30 yards for an eagle on the 12th. He then gave those shots back with consecutive bogeys on the 14th and 15th. But, after getting back within the cut line thanks to a birdie on the 16th and a par on the 17th, Lowry finished the last hole with a bogey, carding a 73 and missing the weekend play.
His 156-yard approach from the center of the fairway was affected by the breeze, landing just a few feet short of safety and into a penalty area. Although the ball was on dry land, it lay behind some rocks, which he clipped with his third shot, sending the ball 35 feet right of the hole. He did well to salvage a bogey, but his exit leaves Rory McIlroy as the sole Irish challenger to runaway leader Daniel Berger.
32-year-old Floridian Berger, seeking his first victory in five years, followed his impressive opening 63 with a 68, establishing a five-shot lead over Akshay Bhatia (who shot 66 yesterday) with an overall score of 13-under par. “Actually, I feel like I played better,” Berger admitted. “Yesterday was one of those days where you just kind of tallied up at the end and you’re like, ‘wow, I made nine birdies.’ I think the course was a little tougher today. The green speeds are up there, the pin positions are tough. So I’m looking forward to the next couple of days, seeing what the challenge brings.”
Ludvig Aberg, Sahith Theegala, and Collin Morikawa shared third place, six shots back at seven-under par. Rory McIlroy, tied for ninth at four-under and nine shots behind after a 68, was pleased with his position heading into the weekend on a treacherous course that is likely to present a significant challenge. “If we don’t get any rain the next couple of days, which it looks like we won’t, it’s going to be really difficult,” McIlroy predicted.
World number one Scottie Scheffler was one shot further back, ten shots off the pace in joint 15th at three-under par. But the Texan, a two-time winner at Bay Hill, showed frustration at the finish as he three-putted from just off the 18th green for a bogey and a 71, then angrily hurled his ball into the lake.
McIlroy believes his prowess on the par-fives will be key this weekend. The Masters champion, who revealed he shares a locker with Raymond Floyd and the late Ben Hogan in the Champions Locker Room at Augusta National, finished his round with a four-under 32 on the back nine. “I played a very controlled round of golf,” said the world number two. “I stayed as patient as I could. Again, played the par-fives well — I’ve made seven birdies and a par — and this golf course is all about being patient, having a conservative strategy, and knowing that pars are good scores on a lot of the holes here.”
“So I played a great back nine, four-under, got some momentum there, and I’m excited to be in the mix for the weekend.” He is pleased with his game as the Masters approaches, recounting how he nearly holed out for an albatross on the 15th during a visit to Augusta with his father, replicating his iconic seven-iron hook around the trees from last year’s final round. “I nearly pitched it in the hole,” he beamed, revealing that the seven-iron he used last year is now on display in the Champions Locker Room. “It was actually a better shot than the one I hit in. It was unbelievable. I wish I’d got it on camera.”
Playing the par-fives well will also be crucial this weekend. “Even if you hit the ball in the fairway with this little bit of breeze with the firm greens, it’s hard to get the ball close,” McIlroy explained. “You’re hitting good iron shots to 25-30 feet all the time, and you’re not going to make a lot of those. So you really have to make the bulk of your score on the par-fives and just stay really patient for the rest of the way.”
Meanwhile, Séamus Power missed the cut (two-under par) at the Puerto Rico Open. After an opening 75, he birdied the 11th and eagled the 14th to return to even par, but an even-par back nine for a 69 left him at level par overall. Chandler Blanchet shot a 67 to lead by four shots at 13-under from Gordon Sargent, who shot 70.
