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Shane Lowry in action today. Alamy Stock Photo
Golf
'Why come here if I didn't want to win?': Shane Lowry in contention at The Open
Rory McIlroy has rallied at Royal Birkdale.
LAST UPDATE | 17 Jul
A REMARKABLE SECOND round at The Open saw Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both equal the record for the lowest score in a major within minutes of each other.
A bogey at the last cost Australian Herbert his place in history with a new mark after a run of nine birdies but his 62 – recorded by four other men – propelled him into a two-shot lead at Royal Birkdale.
Incredibly, within 20 minutes American Burns holed out from a greenside bunker on 18 for his sixth birdie on the back nine to also post the same number, having covered the front nine in two under.
And even more remarkably it was the second time in three years two players separated by just one group had posted record-equalling scores, matching the feat of Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler in the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
That pair had followed the first man to achieve a 62: South African Branden Grace in the third round at the par-70 Birkdale in 2017.
Schauffele repeated the feat, along with Ireland’s Shane Lowry, in the 2024 US PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Lowry remains firmly in contention here, three-under for the tournament – five back and tied for 17th – after a second-round 68. The Offaly man had just one bogey, on the 17th, with birdies on the first, ninth and 18th.
“I feel like the way I’m playing, all I need is just a run. If I get my run, I feel like I’ll be dangerous this weekend,” he said.
In the post-round press conference, Lowry was asked if his focus was to win The Open or to get a positive result.
He paused before shooting back: “Why would I come here if I didn’t want to win? Obviously, you say a good week would go a long way, but who cares about where I finish in the FedEx Cup.
Safe to say Shane Lowry didn't appreciate that question 😳
— Today's Golfer (@TheTodaysGolfer) July 17, 2026
“Why would I come here if I didn’t want to win? When I’m 75, you’re not going to say, ‘Oh in 2026 you finished 25th in the FedExCup, well done’.”
🎙️@theopen pic.twitter.com/PXxx0OOfyy
“When I’m 75 years of age and I’m sitting there, you’re not going to say, oh, in 2026, you finished 25th in the FedEx Cup; well done.
“I’m here to win the tournament. I’m here to compete at this level, and I’m here to put myself into contention.”
Rory McIlroy made the cut on one-under overall after signing for 67. The Masters champion had birdies on the second, eighth, ninth, and 14th helping improve his fortunes. His only dropped shot of the day arrived on hole six.
“I think the main objective today was to be here for the weekend, which I am,” said McIlroy. “I think if I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, be four or five under for the tournament, I’ll be right in it.”
Bizarrely, Herbert failed to take advantage of the two back-nine par fives, before a drive into the rough and then a missed five-footer at the 18th brought his first bogey.
“It was not lost on me the amount of history in major championships and the opportunity I had to obviously break the record,” said Herbert, who has spent the last two years on the breakaway LIV Tour.
“To tie it as well is still something I’m really proud of.”
The 30-year-old covered the front nine in just 28 strokes, equalling Denis Durnian’s 1983 Open record, to get to six under and came home in 33 to end the day one clear of late finisher Bryson DeChambeau.
The American ended his run of missed cuts at majors this year in style with a birdie-birdie finish for a 66 to outshine playing partner Scottie Scheffler and ensure he starts in the final group with Herbert on Saturday.
World number four Cameron Young is well in the running for his first major at six under par, alongside overnight leader Jackson Suber, who shot a 69.
Defending champion Scheffler is four shots back but could easily have been at least in a share of the lead but for a series of missed short putts with birdie opportunities for the world number one.
Tommy Fleetwood’s late charge was met with deafening roars around his home town with three birdies in the final four holes to get to four under par.
World number three Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose were among the big names to miss the cut.
The rest of the Irish hopefuls missed the cut, led by Tom McKibbon on two over.
Both amateur competitors, David Howard and Stuart Grehan, posted rounds of 69 to finish on three and six over respectively.
Former champions Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington ended on seven and nine over, with Harrington’s 69 beating Thursday’s round of 80 by 11 strokes.
- Additional reporting by AFP.
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