Lowry stalking Berger and end to his 953-day drought
Shane Lowry watches a putt on the fifth green during the first round at the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Calif. on Thursday, June 17, 2021. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)
Shane Lowry might not have won since The Open in 2019, but he will tee it up in the final group on Sunday for the second time in four starts this year as he chases down Daniel Berger in the Honda Classic.
The Offaly man loves the major-style challenge of PGA National's wind-swept Champion Course and after carding a best-of-the-day, three-under 67 for the second day running, he's in a four-way tie for second, five strokes behind 2015 runner-up Berger on six-under-par.
"I am in a great position going into tomorrow," said Lowry, who made four birdies and dropped his only shot of the day at the 210-yard seventh. "I see Daniel is a long way ahead, but I love the set-up.
"If I am playing a golf course and I shoot two or three under and I am happy with myself, that's the kind of course I like.
"I said yesterday evening, a couple of 67s at the weekend and you never know. So if I can shoot a 67 tomorrow or a 66, I probably won't be far away."
Berger was six strokes clear of the field playing the par-five 18th but made his second bogey of the week there after missing the green with his third, carding a 69 to lead by five shots from Lowry, Austrian Sepp Straka (69) and compatriots Kurt Kitayama (71) and Chris Kirk (71) on 11-under par.
“If you can get to the 14th or 15th within two or three of the lead, you never know what can happen.”
The world number 21 holds a commanding advantage, but Lowry hopes to get to within a couple of shots of his lead heading down the stretch and with the Bear Trap holes from the 15th to the 17th a graveyard of many Honda Classic dreams, he knows a five-stroke lead means little.
"You can't really chase anyone down on this golf course," said the Clara man, who has gone more than two and a half years without a win. "You just have to go about your business and try to shoot the best score you can.
"I just have to keep doing what I've been doing the last few days. I have been playing some nice golf and I am very much in control of my ball.
"If you can get to the 14th or 15th within two or three of the lead, you never know what can happen."
None of the world's top 10 and only 11 of the top 50 teed it up in West Palm Beach this week.
It's a draining test, but Lowry has always loved its major championship-style demands, making the cut in all four appearances without ever clinching a top 20 finish.
He birdied the par-five third, then made a nine footer at the 387-yard fourth to get to five-under but missed a chance from five feet at the fifth.
A par save from 20 feet at the sixth kept his momentum going and while he pulled his tee shot well left at the long par-three seventh and made just his fourth bogey of the week, he remained patient and hardly put a foot wrong.
He brushed in a pair of 12 footers at the 11th and 12th and while he might have picked up another few shots, he was happy to finish with six straight pars.
"It's a tricky and stressful golf course and the greens are drying out,” said Lowry, who is seeking his first win in a regular PGA TOUR event in his first US start this year.
"I probably could have shot a couple better today, but I missed a couple of putts early on. I am very happy with that score. I would have taken it at the start of the day."
Berger was a successful captain's pick in last year's Ryder Cup, and the 28-year old local favourite knows what awaits him tomorrow, having lost out to Pádraig Harrington in a playoff for the title in 2015.
"I've played some great golf, but the challenge is still ahead, 18 more holes, and I've got to stay focused on playing another great round tomorrow, and if I can do that, then I'll be holding the trophy at the end of the day," Berger said.
“I’ve got to stay focused on playing another great round tomorrow, and if I can do that, then I’ll be holding the trophy at the end of the day”
"It's going to be a challenge tomorrow. The greens are going to be, I expect, a little firmer and faster and I just have to continue to do the same thing I did today and hit fairways and greens and make some putts."
Lowry is not the only player around the lead, and he knows he can't afford to get too aggressive with the greens drying out considerably.
"They're just firming up and they're crusty and around the hole is pretty difficult," he said. "It's quite hard to get a 25-footer to get good pace on it and get the right speed, it's just tricky.
"It's playing great, though. I really like the way it's playing. In a weird way, it's quite enjoyable out there. It's such a tough test because I feel like personally that too many weeks we play where it's 20-, 25-under winning tournaments, so for me, this is more enjoyable than that."
While bogeys are almost inevitable, Lowry is focussed on keeping the double double-bogeys away and taking his birdie chances when he gets them.
"I think I'm in a good frame of mind that way,” said the world number 50, who was in the final group in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January but shot 77 to end up tied 12th.
"I'm taking the bad breaks on the chin and taking the good breaks and good shots and moving on and trying on the next one. "
He felt he'd missed his chance to make the final group when he missed a ten-footer at the last but Kirk, who got to within three shots of Berger before making a double-bogey six at the 14th, missed an eight-footer at the 18th.
"I just need to focus back on myself and worry about what I'm doing," Lowry said. "And I think if I could shoot another 67 or maybe even one better tomorrow, you never know, I might not be far away.”
