TROON, Scotland – Shane Lowry gave his father, Brendan, a bear hug after finishing his final TV interview. Dressed in a Kelly green Srixon ski cap, Lowry shot 2-under 69 at Royal Troon’s Old Course in the 2024 British Open, taking a two-stroke lead over Englishmen Justin Rose and Dan Brown.
Lowry said he was happy with his performance, especially given the challenging conditions. He emphasized his love for The Open Championship and the satisfaction of leading after two days. The last time the top three at the halfway point of The Open were all from the United Kingdom and Ireland was in 1951.
Having started with two rounds in the 60s, this is the fourth time Lowry has achieved this in a major. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy missed the cut but expressed his support for Lowry, highlighting his friend’s creativity and love for challenging conditions. Lowry, a previous Claret Jug winner, said he is confident in his ability to perform under pressure.
In his press conference, Lowry joked about being a good front-runner, drawing laughter. Three of the last four 36-hole leaders at The Open have eventually won the championship. Lowry remains optimistic about his chances but acknowledges the difficulty of winning tournaments.
Dan Brown, in his major championship debut, sits tied for second after shooting 1-over 72. Despite being relatively unknown, Brown is making a name for himself with his strong performance so far. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is T-4 and aiming for his seventh win of the season.
Justin Rose finished his round with a dramatic 42-foot birdie putt, improving to 5-under and tying for second. In pursuit of the Claret Jug, Rose emphasized the challenging conditions and the need to adapt. As the competition continues, players like Billy Horschel are focusing on adjusting their strategies to navigate the changing conditions on moving day.
