Shane Lowry lit up the weather-affected Gamers Championship with a hole-in-one on the enduring seventeenth as Paul Casey continued his very good comeback from a nightmare begin at Sawgrass.
Lowry’s tee shot on the 124-yard par three pitched round 10 ft past the outlet and span again into the cup to spark wild celebrations from the 34-year-old Irishman.
The eagle lifted Lowry, who has additionally made an ace on the sixteenth at Augusta Nationwide throughout the Masters, to 4 beneath par and though he bogeyed the tough 18th, birdies on the primary and second saved him firmly in rivalry for the title.
Lowry stated: “You play this recreation, simply particular issues occur typically. It’s fairly cool to do it there, probably the most iconic holes in golf.
“Yeah, what can I say? It was a particular factor to occur, and I’m wanting ahead to turning on my telephone and seeing the messages I’ve acquired. Not solely that, it put me again within the event considerably. So it was superb.”
At 5 beneath par when play was halted because of darkness, Lowry had 4 holes of his third spherical to finish and was 4 photographs off the lead held by India’s Anirban Lahiri, who had seven holes remaining.
Individuals Tom Hoge and Harold Varner have been a shot behind Lahiri, with Casey one other stroke again alongside Sebastian Munoz and Sam Burns.
Casey made a triple-bogey seven on his first gap of the £15.2million occasion on Thursday, however fought again to card a gap 70 and added a bogey-free 69 on Sunday which included a birdie from 50ft on the par-three seventeenth.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever had two full days off at a event,” Casey stated in reference to the dangerous climate which meant some gamers who teed off early on Thursday didn’t play once more till Sunday.
“It’s been bizarre. It began with a triple bogey on Thursday to start out my championship however I floor out two beneath, which I used to be immensely proud of, particularly as I knew there was going to be a delay of some kind.
“I do know I acquired the fortunate facet of the draw. I’m very conscious of that. And it’s been attention-grabbing watching the fellows battle on the opposite facet. I imply, I consider within the {golfing} gods and karma, so I don’t sit there gleefully watching it.
Tommy Fleetwood tees off on the 14th gap throughout the second spherical of The Gamers Championship (Gerald Herbert/AP)
(AP)
“Then at the moment I made lots of putts. That’s been the important thing actually. Even my ball hanging hasn’t been as much as my regular type of customary. However then dropping the lengthy one on 17 was very, very cool.”
Casey’s Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood added a 73 to his opening 66 and remained 5 beneath par after 9 holes of his third spherical.
“It’s simply been odd,” Fleetwood stated. “I’ve by no means been a part of a event that’s had delays like this, and it’s simply unusual how lengthy the week feels, and it’s really not been that lengthy.
“You’re simply nonetheless in a daily event day right here, we’re nonetheless on a Sunday, it simply feels prefer it’s been longer.
“But it surely’s been good to have the household right here. I feel they’ve positively made a large distinction, slightly than ready round by yourself and never having a lot to do.”
The midway minimize had fallen at two over par, permitting 2019 champion Rory McIlroy to scrape into the final 36 holes following consecutive rounds of 73.
McIlroy lined his first 9 holes of spherical three in a single over to stay close to the underside of the leaderboard.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
