Shane Lowry showed-up his Grand Slam winning best friend and muscle his way into a share the lead heading into the weekend rounds of the Dubai Invitational in Dubai.
Lowry and Rory McIlroy were playing partners for the opening two days in the first tournament of the New Year and with McIlroy emerging with the leading first round honours at five-under.
However it was Lowry’s turn to shine on day two of the limited field event, picking-up five birdies in a three-under 68 to join Spaniard Nacho Elvira, also with a 68, in the stunning ‘sail-like’ clubhouse at five-under. Lowry and Elvira were sharing ninth place heading into day two.
BEST FRIEND STEALS HONOURS ….
Shane Lowry @ShaneLowryGolf stole day two #DubaiInvitational honours from best friend & playing partner @McIlroyRory
Shane shares lead after posting a 68 to Rors ending bogey, bogey for a horror 74 & T5th @DubaiCreekGolf
Read:… pic.twitter.com/vUODRlThIG
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) January 16, 2026
In stark contrast, McIlroy battled with his new clubs managing just two birdies but also posting four bogeys in a clumsy three-over 74, that also included a bogey, bogey finish to drop back into a then share of fifth in the event being staged on the Dubai Creek GC course.
The newly RBC sponsored Lowry banked the start he wanted, birdieing the opening two holes and then collecting further birdies at the sixth, 10th and 16th holes, and with only dropped shots at five and nine.
Lowry said: “Second round of the year you kind of don’t want this but I am very happy with my day’s work. People were saying to me on the putting green this morning ‘you must have looked out today and saw this’ and I’d rather there wasn’t as much wind but I’m able to deal with it.”
“I do quite enjoy the artistry of having to move the ball around and hitting 8-irons from 130 yards. It’s good fun. We had a great group today and when you’re out there having a bit of fun it’s easy to play good golf. That attitude for the rest of the year and I’ll be pretty good.”
And when asked if this year could be a best year yet, Lowry responded: “You have to believe that, if you don’t then you may as well pack it in. I’m working as well as I ever have. I feel like my game is as good as it’s been so we will see.”
McIlroy’s only birdies were at the third and 16th holes while he dropped shots at the sixth, ninth, 13th, 17th and where he found water left off the tee, while also bogeying the last.
The World No. 26 ranked Lowry is contesting his 297th DP World Tour event but has not won on the Tour since victory in the 2022 BMW PGA Championship at Tour HQ.
Scotland’s Connor Syme let slip his superb opening advantage, dropping from a share of second and back into a clubhouse tie for ninth after a poor second round 74.
The reigning KLM Open champ managed just two birdies but also dropped five shots including posting a double-bogey ‘6’ at the par-4 seventh hole he was playing as his 16th.
Syme put his second into a greenside bunker and took four shots to get up-and-down from 30-feet.
Also sharing ninth place is Grant Forrest, signing for 70 while also posting a 70 was Dubai-based Ewen Ferguson, a shot back of Forrest but sharing 15th place.
Calum Hill matched Syme’s 74 for a two-over tally and back tied 24th.
