Antalya, Turkey …
Shane Lowry has put himself in contention for a first time in some six months heading to the weekend rounds of the Turkish Airlines Open.
Lowry posted a second 66 to move into a share of fourth place at eight-under par in continuing ideal scoring conditions on the Regnum Carya course at Antalya.
Belgium’s big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts opened-up a four-shot leading cushion thanks to a second straight seven-under par 64 and move to 14-under.
Colsaert’s 36-hole effort is just one shot shy of the tournament’sg opening two round low set a year ago by eventual champion, Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark.
Shane Lowry in contention at the Turkish Airlines Open in Turkey. (Pnoto – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
The Brussels-born Colsaerts is looking to capture a third Tour titleand a first in over five-yearS but is conscious also of the chasing pack.
“If I’m capable of going 14- under in two rounds, then somebody else or a few other guys are capable of doing the same,” he said.
“So, I guess it has to be more of the same over the weekend”.
England’s Eddie Pepperell (66) is next best at 10-under and with Thailand’s in-form Kiradech Aphibarnrat (67) third at nine-under while Lowry finds himself among four at eight-under par.
Lowry bogeyed the second and also was disappointed to drop a shot at the last but sandwiched between those dropped shots was seven birdies including a gem at the uphill par three, 14th hole when he hit the flagstick with his 8-iron and delighted in reaching the green to see his ball just a metre from the hole.
“It was a good day’s work as five-under is nice and I would have taken that at the start of the day,” he said.
“I was disappointed to bogey the last as my second shot there at the last came out a bit weird, and I hit a great putt and thought I had the par but overall pretty happy and give me two more of those.
“I wasn’t that comfortable at the end and a maybe bit of negativity crept into my head as I drove the ball lovely for the first round and also drove it lovely today but just hit one really bad drive on 15 and from thereon in I was a bit tentative.
“That’s fine as you get like that sometimes but I was fortunate to make par on 15 and to make birdie from where I was on 16 was nice.”
This week is really the first occasion Lowry has contended since he seized the lead late on the final day of May’s BMW PGA Championship but then only to slip to a shae of sixth
Since then Lowry has seen his World Ranking drop from 69th to currently 89th and also down 46 places on his No. 46th ranking at the end of 2016.
“I am delighted and happy going to the weekend as there is nothing worst than playing these big tournaments, and the ones with no cut, and being down the back of the field and trying to battle for 30th place all weekend,” he said.
“I am in a lovely position and I am tied fourth and I know Nicolas is a good bit ahead but you never know what can happen in golf.
“I know I am going to have to go out there and keep doing what I am doing but I do feel like that my head is in the right spot. I don’t thing my game is 100% but my head is in the right spot and I am putting okay.
“Once I get the ball in play and once I hit fairways my iron play feels good. So I will try to keep hitting fairways and take it from there.”
Padraig Harrington struggled mid-round with three bogeys in a one-over par 72 to drop to a share of 13th place alongside Greystones Paul Dunne who could only manage a 70 for both to be at five-under.
“I stared a bit ropey and short game was good, then started to play well and my short game was terrible,” said Harrington.
“These things happen but then two bogeys at 12 and 13 when on any other day you’d make two birdies and I’d be nine–under and happy.
“So, it’s just the way the day goes.
“My short game was good for some of it, my long game was very good for some of it; so need the two together tomorrow.”
