Signs good for Lowry after he avoids Abu Dhabi disaster following mix-up
Shane Lowry with caddie Brian “Bo” Martin at the Masters in 2020
Shane Lowry avoided near disaster on the 18th after a mix up with his caddie but was all smiles afterwards as he carded a bogey-free 67 to go into the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with a chance to end his two-and-a-half-year victory drought.
The world number 48 shares second place with Belgian playing partner Thomas Pieters, just one stroke behind Scotland's Scott Jamieson as he chases his first win since The Open in 2019.
It could easily have ended in tears for Lowry, who came to the 646-yard 18th and hit his 220-yard lay up 30 yards left into the ice plant in the penalty area, 84 yards short of the green and just a few feet from the water.
Shocked he was anywhere near the water with his second, he slammed his club on the ground in disgust and started to remonstrate with caddie Brian "Bo" Martin when it became apparent they'd picked two different HSBC signs as the line for the lay up.
"Yeah, myself and Bo, we were aiming at the HSBC sign, but his one was 30 yards right of the one I was looking at," explained a grinning Lowry after chasing his third onto the green and two-putting from 72 feet for par, rolling in a seven-footer for his five.
It was a moment that brought back memories of Darren Clarke and Billy Foster picking two separate TV towers to aim at in the US PGA at Whistling Straits in 2004
"Yeah, new course, I thought I hit a perfect shot," said Lowry, whose 2019 win in this event came 16 km away at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. "I couldn't believe it came down where it did. It was a bad mistake to make because we shouldn't be doing it in that situation.
"I got very lucky and fortunate in the ice plant and made a good two-putt afterwards. It could have been a different story. I'm not sure I'd be standing here. I might be sitting in the locker room sulking right now.
"I'm happy with the way I've played overall. I'm really happy with the way the week is going and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
The delayed second round was completed early in the morning with the cut falling at three-over-par and Lowry tied for six on five-under, just two shots behind leads Jamieson and James Morrison, who completed a 71.
The wind was still a factor, but Lowry was in superlative form, picking up two birdies on the front nine — a chip and putt birdie at the par-five second followed by a 27 footer at the fifth.
The Offaly gave himself plenty of chances, but after missing a five-footer at the 11th, he moved up a gear coming down the stretch and hit a series of sensational iron shots.
At the 12th, he rifled his 210-yard approach to eight feet and rolled in the putt, then fired a 184-yard approach right to left against the breeze to four and a half feet at the 15th to set up another before hitting a 170-yard approach to 13 feet at the 16th to go five-under for the day.
"It felt good," Lowry said of his game. "Felt comfortable. I had a lovely time with Thomas. I enjoy his company. We played some good golf. Alex [Bjork] struggled but rallied at the end and did very well. It was just a pleasant day out there. It's a nice golf course. It's tricky, a bit of wind blowing, I quite like it. I like the way it fits my eye."
Lowry famously won this title at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in 2019 and went on to claim The Open, and he's hoping he can win again tomorrow to kick off his season on a high note, having started with missed cuts several times in his career.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow," said Lowry, who will be out in the final group with Pieters, who also shot 67, and Jamieson, who carded a 68.
"Whoever I'm paired with tomorrow, it will be a good day, but there's one thing in my mind, to be standing here tomorrow with the trophy again.
"It's great for the first tournament of the year to be in contention. There have been plenty of times in my first tournament of the year I've missed cuts ask stuff like that, and it gets you off to really bad starts. It's nice to be where I am, and as I said, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."
World number 69 Pieters won the Portugal Masters late last year, but Jamieson (38) is seeking only his second tour win, just over nine years after his maiden victory on the then European Tour at the Nelson Mandela Championship in December 2012.
"Is it ten years?" Jamieson said. "You know, all I can do is play whatever shots in front of me, and going to just try and stay, all those clichés, stay in the moment and just try and hit the best shot I can."
India's Subhankar Sharma shot 67 and Norway's and Viktor Hovland a 70 after a bogey at the last to share fourth place, just three shots behind the Jamieson.
Pádraig Harrington carded a four-under 68 to go into the final round tied 17th in four-under.
He was out in level with a birdie at the second cancelled out by a three-putt at the fifth but came home in 32 thanks to birdies at the 10th, 11th, 15th and 17th - all of them from inside 10 feet.
Having made the cut on the number, Rory McIlroy rallied with a five-under 67 to move up to tied 28th on two-under.
Starting on the back nine, he went out in two-under, then followed a birdie at the first with a bogey at the third before covering the remaining holes in thee under.
After slotting in a 12 footer for a two at the 212 yards fourth, he made his second eagle three of the week at the seventh, neatly brushing in a 33 footer.