Shane Lowry and Leona Maguire find themselves in a battle to make the cut after disappointing opening rounds in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Chevron Championship.
Lowry was on fire early at TPC Louisiana, making birdies at five of the first seven holes to do all the heavy lifting alongside partner Brooks Koepka in the fourball-betterball format.
But while Koepka weighed in with a birdie from 31 feet at the 10th, it was their lone birdie on the back nine as they struggled to convert their chances on the greens.
A six under 66 left them tied for 50th on the 74-team leaderboard, two shots outside the top 33 and ties who will make the cut today.
It was also a disappointing day for Maguire at a sodden Memorial Park in Houston in the opening women’s Major, where a four over 76 left her tied for 106th, 11 strokes behind leader Nelly Korda on a course that plays into the hands of the big hitters.
Lowry and Koepka will still be confident they can come back in New Orleans, where they play foursomes today.
They go into the second round, eight shots behind Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who made an eagle and 12 birdies in a record-equalling 14-under 58 to lead by a shot from Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat.
Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, who played alongside Lowry and Koepka, were bitterly disappointed to find water with both approach shots to bogey at the par five 18th and open with an eight under 64 that left them tied for 30th.
“I've holed two long and lucky putts really on 16, 17 there, which is a nice bonus, but would have been nice to take advantage on 18 and make a birdie,” said world number three Matt, who arrived in Louisiana with two wins in his last three starts.
“Yeah, really disappointing way to end with two balls in perfect position. It's not good enough, really.”
He's hoping that they can make hay in the foursomes today and get themselves back in position to win.
“You could easily go out and shoot 8-under in foursomes tomorrow, and that all of a sudden feels like 14-under today,” he said
“I think the biggest thing is getting those two rounds under your belt, seeing where you lie, and kicking on from there.
“Foursomes is obviously much harder. (In fourballs) You've got two goes every hole. PGA TOUR standard, two goes every hole is going to be a good score.”
Séamus Power and German Matti Schmid were joint 16th after a nine-under 63 and in position to challenge the leaders.
But it will be far tougher for Maguire just to make the cut in Houston, where she got off to a great start with birdies at the third and fourth.
She found just eight greens in regulation in the end, and after bogeys at the fifth and sixth, she followed a birdie at the 10th with five bogeys in her last seven holes.
The Co Cavan star averaged 237 yards off the tee, which meant she was giving up more than 30 yards to leader Korda.
The American came home in 31 to card a 65 that gave her a two-shot lead over Thailand’s Patty Tavatanikit (286 yards off the tee) and Korea’s Somi Lee, who missed just two greens despite being an average hitter.
Asked what she likes to see in a Major setup, Korda had no doubts.
“Long,” she said. “You know, I think it should test every part of your game. I just think it should just play long and tough.
“I think when you make golf courses really short, especially par-5s where everyone is laying it up in the same exact area and at the end of the day it's a wedge contest, to me that's not very exciting.
“Like the people that hit a really good drive and have the opportunity to go for it should be able to go for it and not where you're like okay this is a three-shoter today.”
Article Link: Friday cut battle ahead for Shane Lowry and Leona Maguire - News - Irish Golf Desk