Shane Lowry holds half-way lead with course record 62 at Doonbeg

Shane Lowry will take a three stroke lead into the weekend after delighting the home crowds on day two of the Amgen Irish Open with a course record 62.

The Irishman made nine birdies and one bogey at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg to set the target at 11 under par as he leads Haotong Li, Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Nørgaard.

The 39‑year‑old, who famously won this event as an amateur in 2009 and has played every edition since, followed up an opening 67 on Thursday by taking advantage of the easier conditions and setting the tone for the early groups on Friday.

Lowry made three birdies in a row from the third thanks to impressive approaches at three and five and a 22‑footer at the fourth, before adding three more at seven, eight and nine to make the turn in 30.

A crucial par save at the tenth kept his momentum intact, and he followed it with birdies at the 11th and 12th to reach eight under for his round.

A three‑putt bogey at the 13th was his only dropped shot of the day, but he responded with a 19‑footer for birdie at the 15th.

His five-iron to the last set up a final birdie chance, but while his effort left him just shy of a first DP World Tour 61, his 62 is still the lowest score recorded at Doonbeg.

“It was nice. It was real fun out there,” he said of his fourth ever 62 on the DP World Tour.

“I got off to a nice start and then I just kept going. I felt great out there. Just kept my foot on the gas and tried to keep hitting good shots and keep holing putts.

“I liked the little birdie I made on 15 after the mistake I made on 13. Also, I think my par putt on 10 was probably my highlight of the day. After getting pretty unlucky with my second shot, I think I did a great job making par there.”

The home fans were out in force around the par‑70 venue, and Lowry was quick to credit their support.

“The crowds were amazing out there today,” he said. “They support me along the way and it was nice to give them something to shout about."

Leading the chasing pack for much of the morning was Haotong Li, whose eagle-birdie-birdie run from the 10^th helped him into contention on his way to a seven-under-par 63.

Li, who hasn’t made the cut in an Irish Open since 2015, said he’s been enjoying the DP World Tour’s latest course as he looks to build on his confidence.

“I think the course is different than last few times. Last few times was really soft. This week the greens are actually kind of pure, and the ball wasn't spinning back at all, like, compared to the previous ones. So, yeah, it's pretty decent condition and rolled some good putts.

“Yesterday was kind of like a little bit bad weather. Even some of the 3-feet par putts, I felt like they were shaking. But today it was kind of like birdie heaven, everything kind of going my way and the weather just holding out pretty nice.

“Just need to gain some confidence from those situations, and I just am very happy to have another opportunity to compete again.”

Alongside Li are Danish pair Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Nørgaard, who both finished in a tie for second at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo a couple of weeks ago, and carded a pair of 64s. While Olesen put together a burst of birdies on his back nine from the 14^th to 16^th holes, it was Nørgaard  who got late cheers from the crowds after scaring the hole at the 18^th and capping off his round with a closing birdie to join the chasing pack.

Nørgaard credited his bogey-free round - one of the best scores of the afternoon groups - to a change in strategy and his coach on the bag this week.

“I'm happy standing here,” he said. “Didn't really feel that well on the first nine, but just kept plodding in and then started what I feel like playing pretty good golf on the back nine. But obviously very, very happy with this round.

“I think I've just been trying to have a little bit more fun in between shots. Now this week I have my coach on the bag, and I told him, Please don't say too much coaching things, let just be a friend out there. And then we have just been having some fun in between the shots.

Rasmus Højgaard, who posted an impressive 63 on Friday, enters the weekend as part of group a shot further back on seven under alongside first round leader Joaquin Niemann, Tom McKibbin, Ewen Ferguson and Kazuma Kobori.

Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed is currently tied tenth on six under with Andy Sullivan, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Jens Dantorp.