Golf

Shane Lowry credits boozy dinner with Tyrrell Hatton for ‘carefree’ 66 at Spanish Open

Irish golfer had a ‘few too many glasses of wine’ the night before as he improved by nine strokes in round two

Shane Lowry of Republic reacts on the 15th hole on day two of the Acciona Open de España in Madrid. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
David Gorman
Fri Sept 27 2024 - 20:29

Shane Lowry bounced back from a disappointing first day to shoot a second round of 66 and move into the top 25 at the Spanish Open.

The Offaly man had five birdies and no bogeys in his five-under-par round, which was nine shots better than yesterday’s 75, as he posted a one-under-par total at the halfway point in the DP World Tour event, nine strokes behind leader Angel Hidalgo. Hidalgo, at 10 under, has a four-shot lead over England’s Joe Dean at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.

“Honestly, I had dinner with Tyrrell Hatton last night and we probably had a couple too many glasses of wine,” Lowry said.

“Maybe that made me play a bit freer today, I just went out and played carefree golf. This is a funny old game, looking forward to the weekend.”

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Hatton is one of several LIV golfers in the field this week and he also had a much improved round of 68 to make the cut on level par. Three-time champion Jon Rahm is well-placed in tied third on five-under-par, as is fellow LIV golfer Patrick Reed. Tommy Fleetwood is a shot further back on four under.

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times