Shafted Shane relieved to make it

Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry was relieved to make the cut on the mark after getting  “shafted” by the weather at The K Club.

The 2009 winner found water with his four iron second to the par-five 18th but got up and down for par and a 75 to make it on the two over limit.

Lowry said: “I’m a bit relieved to be honest. If I miss that putt, I am sitting on the couch for the weekend. It was such a slog.”

One under for the tournament with seven holes to go, Lowry double bogeyed at the par-three 12th and struggled.

When another shot went at the 15th and he duffed his chip after finding water at the last, he needed a 10 footer just to progress.

While players like McIlroy got the best of it, Lowry felt he was unlucky to get an early pro-am tee time and then a bad, early-late draw in the tournament in the worst of the weather.

Taking it on the chin, he said: “Only have 12 hours from my pro-am to my first round tee time and then get shafted by the weather, that wasn’t very nice. But that’s what happens in golf, especially when you’re playing in Ireland.”

Recalling how he won as an amateur in 2009, he said: “I got the luck of the draw back in County Louth, so we’ll take this one.”

Padraig Harrington was also philosophical even though he also found water at the last trying to make eagle and was forced to settle of par and a 72 that left him two outside the mark.

Harrington said: “I chipped and putted well but I just didn't drive it well enough this week.”

Paul Dunne crashed to a 75 in the morning but made the cut with ease on one over alongside Kevin Phelan, who shot a fine 70.