MIAMI – Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are good friends, former Ryder Cup teammates and they have also enjoyed a dinner together – with more to come according to the PGA Tour – since they touched down earlier this week for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event.
Perhaps it is because of this camaraderie, the duo have also been able to get the best out of each other’s skill sets on the golf course, evident as they shared a four-way lead after the alternate-shot second round on April 26.
After shooting 61 in the four-ball (better ball) opening round a day earlier, McIlroy and Lowry carded a two-under 70 in tricky wind conditions at TPC Louisiana.
The American pairs of Davis Thompson and Andrew Novak, and Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard, along with the Anglo-American team of Aaron Rai and David Lipsky, were also on 131 after the first two rounds.
Playing the back nine first, McIlroy and Lowry reached the turn at one under before a bogey on the par-three third, but they rallied at the end of their round with birdies on the seventh and eighth.
“Shane has got a wonderful short game,” said Northern Irishman McIlroy.
“It gives me confidence going for those greens whether it be the par-fours or the par-fives that if I get it anywhere up there around the green, I’m going to have a very good look for birdie after he hits his.”
Lowry, who is from Ireland, also paid compliments to his pal.
“I knew if we got through the sixth hole at even par or maybe one under coming to the last few holes, I knew seven and eight were going to be good chances for us because I knew Rory could drive the green on eight,” he said.
“I knew seven was going to play short. As long as I hit a good drive there, it was going to be a mid-iron for Rory. I knew we had a couple of chances coming in. We managed to take them, and that was nice.”
While the two friends are playing the event together for the first time, a more experienced pairing is one shot behind the group of leaders.
Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele shot the round of the day, a five-under 67, to move to 12 under for the tournament. They would be part of the lead had they not taken their only bogey of the day at the 18th hole.
The pair won the tournament in 2022.
“We did exactly what we needed to put ourselves in position,” Cantlay said. “We’re at half-time now, one back, and I like our spot heading into the weekend.”
The cut line was eight under, just five shots off the lead, as 40 of the field’s 80 teams made the weekend.
Notables missing the cut include Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris (six under) and two sets of twin brothers, Pierceson and Parker Coody (five under) and Denmark’s Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard (five under). AFP, REUTERS
