Shane Lowry proved that golf is the game played on the six inch course between the ears when he put three average rounds behind to move up from fifth to third in the Race to Dubai after the closing 66 in the Turkish Airlines Open.

Graeme McDowell shot his best round of the year and Shane Lowry “got away with” one of his worst in the Turkish Airlines Open.

Graeme McDowell insists a taste of Turkish delight this week could transform the year from hell into the promise of a sweet ’16 to come.

Not even a collision with a tree in the middle of his back nine could stop Shane Lowry’s dogged pursuit of Ian Poulter in the weather-delayed second round of the Turkish Airlines Open by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Shane Lowry admits that playing nine events in 11 weeks might have been a mistake but he still did well to come back from a horror start to shoot a two under 70 in the opening round of the Turkish Airlines Open.

Turkey has opted to delay its bid for the Ryder Cup by four years and build a purpose-built course for a possible 2026 staging.