<p>Shane Lowry </p>
Shane Lowry produced two sparks of brilliance on his back nine to keep debutant Ben James in his sights at the RBC Canadian Open.
The Offaly man turned in two-over in 25mph winds at TPC Toronto when he three-putted the 17th hole and took six at the par-five 18th after a poor drive.
Little went his way until he chipped in from 62 feet for an eagle three at the first and finally made a 13-footer at the eighth to card a one-under 69.
At six-under par, he was tied for 19th, four shots behind James, who topped the PGA Tour University standings this year to earn his card.
The 24-year-old University of Virginia graduate, who excelled for the USA in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Lahinch two years ago, could not have asked for a better start to his professional career.
He made an eagle and five birdies in a bogey-free 63 to lead by a shot from Sam Burns (67), Jackson Suber (65), China's Haotong Li (64) and Sweden's Jesper Svensson (65) on 10 under.
"I got no clue because I've never been in this position, so I'm very excited to find out," James said when asked if he'd have trouble sleeping on the lead.
"One thing I wanted to do was get in that last group. I just want to feel what that feels like and see what happens out there in that situation.
"Being so young, I'm just excited. I have no expectations. I'm going to play the best I can, like I did the last two days."
Defending champion Ryan Fox (66) and Brooks Koepka (68)were tied for fifth on eight under, but Séamus Power missed the two-under-par cut by a shot after a 68.
Pádraig Harrington couldn't undo the damage of an opening 73 and a 70 left him packing his bags for Shinnecock Hills on three-over.
On the HotelPlanner Tour, a tough season continued for the Irish in the Interwetten Open in Austria.
While Max Kennedy shot a five-under 64 and John-Ross Galraith a 66, they made the cut with nothing to spare on four-over, eight strokes behind the Netherlands' Lars van der Vight.
Gary Hurley (67) missed the cut by two shots on two-under with Liam Nolan (70) one-under, Ronan Mullarney (71) level par and James Sugrue (71) one over.
Meanwhile, Oughterard's Kate Dillon shot rounds of 69 and 73 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the inaugural East of Ireland Women's Amateur Open at Woodbrook.
She leads on four under par from Roscommon's Olivia Costello, who shot up the leaderboard thanks to a second round 66.
Article Link: Lowry four back in Canada as Power and Harrington miss cut - News - Irish Golf Desk