Lowry eases into the weekend in Houston
Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry went bogey-free for the first time since the third round of the Cognizant Classic to ease into the weekend at the Texas Children's Houston Open.
The Offaly man ground out a three-under 67 to go into the weekend tied for 33rd on four-under par, nine strokes behind Gary Woodland, who carded a seven-under 63 to lead by three shots from Nicolai Hojgaard (62) and Jackson Suber (63) on 13-under.
Lowry has struggled to regain confidence since he followed that third-round 63 in the Cognizant Classic with a poor finish, making double bogeys at the 16th and 17th, to lose a three-shot lead and finish two shots behind Nico Echavarria.
He went on to miss the cut in his next two starts at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players, but stopped the rot last night with a workmanlike round.
After making birdies at the third, fifth and eighth to turn in 32, he parred his last nine holes and missed just four greens all day.
It’s his last round before the Masters and getting in four rounds can only help him regain some confidence ahead of the season’s first Major.
Dane Hojgaard only wants to be at Augusta National and with the top 50 in the world rankings on Monday, added to the field, the world number 47 is in position to secure his third Masters start.
“It's so easy to say it's not on my mind, good golf will take care of it,” the Dane said. “It's on my mind 100 per cent. We all want to be there.
“But when I'm playing golf out there, I didn't think about it today. But before you play golf and after the rounds and stuff, you think about it a little bit because you definitely want to be there.
“I feel like my game is good enough to qualify for it, but there are two more days here in Houston, and I like where my game is at.”
Jake Knapp (42nd in the world) is on track for Augusta after a 65 left him tied for 11th, but Rickie Fowler (61st) lost his chance by missing the cut.
Séamus Power missed just his second cut this season after enduring a frustrating day on the greens
The West Waterford man (39) hadn't expected to get a start at Memorial Park and spend a fifth successive week on the road.
But after making the field following a spate of withdrawals, he couldn't take advantage and added a two-over 72 to his opening 68 to miss the weekend on level par.
It was a long day at the office for Power, who made nothing on the greens until he followed bogeys at the seventh and 14th with a birdie from seven feet at the 17th.
He needed another birdie at the 500-yard, par-four 18th to dip inside the projected two-under par cut line, but dropped a shot instead in a 32-putt round.
It was a different story for 2019 US Open champion Gary Woodland, who birdied his last three holes to card a seven-under 63 and lead by three shots from Nicolai Hojgaard (62) and Jackson Suber (63) on 13-under.
Defending champion Min Woo Lee (63) and fellow Australian Jason Dat (63) were four behind in a tie for fourth.
Kansas native Woodland (41) had brain surgery in 2023 and, having spoken emotionally recently about his battle with PTSD and feelings of fear and anxiety, he wasn't thinking just yet about claiming his first PGA Tour win since that memorable win at Pebble Beach.
"We're a long ways from that, 36 holes left," Woodland said. "I'm proud of myself for the way I played. Like I said, 36 holes, continue to do what I've been doing and then we'll see where we're at at the end."
On the DP World Tour, Spain's Eugenio Chacarra is on course to retain his title in the Hero Indian Open at DLF Golf & Country Club in Delhi.
A three under par 69 left him on eight under at halfway and a shot clear of playing Casey Jarvis, who posted a best-of-the-week 64.
MJ Daffue, who won last week's DP World PGTI Open on the HotelPlanner Tour, was a shot further back in third alongside Alex Fitzpatrick when second round play was completed on Saturday.
World number 22 Akshay , who was eight over after nine holes of his first round 77 and on the right side of the four-over cutline with two holes to complete, finished bogey-par to shoot 72 and miss the cut on five-over.
"I think the good vibes when I got here, the good memories came up and when I'm having fun playing golf, I already proved I'm one of the best players in the world,' Chacarra said.
