Shane Lowry’s Resilience Shines in Open Championship as Cameraman Clash Doesn’t Slow His Lead; Rory McIlroy Falls Short

Shane Lowry is making waves at the Open Championship after overcoming a tense moment with a cameraman to seize control at Royal Troon. The Irish golfer, who had a solid start with a bogey-free 66 on Thursday, found himself in trouble on the challenging 11th “Railway” hole during his second round.

Lowry’s tee shot narrowly missed the train tracks next to the 488-yard hole, and his follow-up shot ended up in the thick gorse. Frustrated, he gestured at a nearby cameraman, admitting later that he was momentarily distracted and “lost his train of thought.” Despite this, he managed to recover from a double bogey with steady play and a crucial birdie to lead by two shots into the weekend.

In contrast, Rory McIlroy struggled significantly, becoming one of the most notable casualties of the tournament. The world No. 2 failed to recover from a rough start, including a triple bogey on the 4th hole, and ultimately missed the cut with a score of 11-over par.

Tiger Woods also missed the cut, marking his third consecutive missed major cut. Woods, who finished 14-over par, acknowledged he wasn’t at his best but remains committed to competing in future events.

Several other top players, including Bryson DeChambeau and Wyndham Clark, also failed to advance, leaving only half of the world’s top-10 players competing in the final rounds.