Shane Lowry was delighted to deliver value for sponsors Valero in easily making the halfway cut in the Valero Texas Open.
Lowry added a level par 72 to his opening score of 70 to be just outside the top-20 as the afternoon half of the field, including fellow Irishman Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy and in the lot warmer conditions on TPC San Antonio course.
Three players – Australia’s Stephen Bowditch (69) and the American duo of Daniel Summerhays (69) and Charley Hoffman (67) head the event on six under par.
Reigning Portugal Masters champion Lowry, competing on a third straight PGA Tour sponsor’s invitation, posted three birdies and just as many bogeys in his round.
But after missing the cut in the Puerto Rico Open and last week’s Shell Houston Open, Lowry felt under real pressure to perform this week in San Antonio after being afforded an invitation by sponsors, Valero to contest the $6.2m event.
Shane Lowry, sporting a pretty short hair cut, signs for a young fan on day two of the 2013 Valero Texas Open. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
And with the benefit of his coach of eight years, Neil Manchin present in San Antonio, Lowry’s been delighted with his form.
“I’m very pleased with the two rounds even though my putting wasn’t the best,” he said.
“But I was very tentative towards the end of my round as I was conscious I haven’t made any cuts in my two stroke-play events this year, so it was important I make the cut here.
“I have an invitation to play in New Orleans two weeks after the Masters and the last thing organisers down there want to see me shooting five or six over.
“And the best way I can thank sponsors is to go out and play well and I’m delighted to have done that for these two days.”
The strength in Lowry’s game at present is his long game and that was no more evident than at last and moments after missing two putts of two feet either side of the flagstick for bogey.
Lowry then walked onto the 18th and launched a massive drive of 333 yards down the last.
“I was a bit headless after missing the second two-footer at 17 and just stood up on and really launched my best drive of the day down 18, so there was a little bit of aggression in that shot,” he said.
Lowry’s only drawback is his putting, and like a new haircut he’s sporting, he needs to shave a few putts off a total of 31 putts on day two and four more than on day one.
“The fellow did a nice job but then he did take a lot off, so I won’t have to go back to the barbers for a while,” he said smiling.
And while victory would send Lowry to his first Masters a top-10 finish would secure him a place in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and thus freeing-up his invitation for another player.
