Shane Lowry fired a course-record 8-under 62 at Doonbeg to take a three-shot lead at the Amgen Irish Open, leaving him at 11-under through two rounds in the 2026 Irish Open.
Lowry’s second-round 62 included nine birdies and came on the Trump International Ireland links at Doonbeg, where calmer conditions after a wind-blown opening day helped scoring, according to ESPN.
Haotong Li shot a 63 to sit three shots back after Lowry, while Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard each shot 64 and were among the nearest chasers, RTE reported.
Lowry said he felt in control as birdies kept coming, and ESPN quoted him: “Every time I kept making birdie, I just kept going, wanting to birdie the next.” The round included a 10-foot par save at the 10th and a run of three straight birdies twice on the front nine.
The 39-year-old won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009, and both outlets noted his familiarity with links conditions may have helped; RTE also highlighted that Monday’s marathon first round had finished late because of strong winds.
Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, struggled on the greens and was nine shots off the lead after rounds of 69 and 69, while Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed remained inside reach after rounds of 67 and 68 respectively, ESPN reported.
For U.S. fans tracking the event and the DP World Tour schedule, our guide to the tour provides background on format and key events, and it explains how tournaments such as the Irish Open fit into the season’s Race to Dubai.
President Trump’s planned visit to Ireland was noted by ESPN as a potential factor for weekend logistics at Doonbeg; local coverage flagged the same visit in separate reporting on the trip.
Sources
- ESPN — match report with scoring, Lowry quotes, birdie count and leaderboard positions.
- RTÉ — detailed round description, confirmation of nine birdies, course-record 62 and context about weather and Lowry’s 2009 win.
- Golf Today — corroborating report on Lowry’s course record and three-shot lead.
