Lowry peaking for Bethpage with Tour Championship challenge
Shane Lowry may need a Ryder Cup wildcard, but he's ready to make a statement after a seven-under 63 thrust him into the mix for the Tour Championship and a $10 million FedEx Cup win.
The Offaly man only realised on Monday that Dane Rasmus Hojgaard can overtake him and claim the sixth automatic place on Sunday as only this week's final-counting British Masters counts in the qualifying race.
Lowry's still considered a certain pick, and he made 193 feet of putts to go into the weekend just six shots behind Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley in the winner-takes-all FedEx Cup finale at East Lake.
Still seeking his maiden PGA Tour win, Fleetwood continued his red-hot run of form and also shot 63 to share the halfway lead with Henley (66) on 13-under, two clear of US wildcard hopeful Cameron Young (62).
Lowry looked stuck in neutral again as he went to the turn in one-under, but when reminded by caddie Darren Reynolds that he did not need to play over aggressively, he raced home in 29.
"Darren said to me going down nine, just because everyone else is making birdies doesn't mean you need to go after every flag; just play your own game, do your own thing," said Lowry, whose birdie run included a monster 98-footer at the 14th.
"And that's what I did on the back nine. Freed me up a little bit, but it is amazing what happens when a few putts start going in. It was a nice nine holes, nice round, and pretty happy to get myself up there."
Hojgaard, who needs a two-way tie for 29th or better to overtake Lowry, remained on track, carding a one-under 71 to share 14th on four-under, five shots behind Marcel Siem at The Belfry.
Siem shot 69 to lead by a shot from Matt Fitzpatrick and by two from Matt Wallace — two wildcard hopefuls —on nine-under as Conor Purcell 72 left him a shot outside the cut line.
As Scottie Scheffler struggled to a 69 to six alone in sixth in Atlanta, Lowry finds himself in a seven-way tie for seventh with the likes of Rory McIlroy (67) and while reluctant to tempt fate, he's aiming to peak for Bethpage.
"I thought I was guaranteed getting points this week," Lowry revealed. "I thought I was going to be pretty much guaranteed on the team. I was somewhat disappointed to hear that. But the rules were made at the start for qualifying, and that was it.
"But obviously I don't know what Rasmus is going to do this weekend, but it looks like he's probably going to pass me up, and I'm going to need a pick next week, so hopefully I get a nice phone call off Luke."
In the LPGA Tour's CPKC Women's Open in Ontario, Leona Maguire made five birdies and four bogeys in a one-under 70 to share second place behind leader Akie Iwai.
The Japanese star shot 69 to lead by three from Maguire, Australia's Minjee Lee and Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul on nine under at Mississauga near Toronto.
At the LET's The Hills Open in Gothenburg, Annabel Wilson's one-over 72 left her as the best of the Irish, five shots behind New Zealand's Momoka Kobori.
Olivia Mehaffey was joint 48th after a 74, but Canice Screene (76), Anna Foster (78), and Sara Byrne (82) face an uphill battle to make the cut today.
At The Dutch Futures on the HotelPlanner Tour, Liam Nolan shot a four-under 67 to lead the Irish challenge on four-under at The Dutch in Spijk.
He heads into the weekend tied for ninth, just three shots behind leaders Palmer Jackson and. Pedro Figueiredo with Max Kennedy two shots further back after a 69.
Jack Madden and Jonny Caldwell were 27th on one under as Dermot McElroy slipped back to level after a 75.
