Lowry shines in Algarve

IRISH champion Shane Lowry scored a sparkling five under par 68 yesterday in the final round to finish leading individual in the Portugal Nations Cup at Vale de Lobo’s Ocean Course in the Algarve, while Ireland narrowly lost out to England for the Nations Cup.

Lowry eagled the 16th and followed with birdie on the 17th before superb approach play left him with a 14-footer for eagle on the last.

Had Lowry holed it, he and team-mates Niall Kearney and Simon Ward would have secured the Nations Cup crown.

It wasn’t to be and despite Lowry’s inspired finish, Ireland lost out on the tie-breaking rule which takes into account the discarded card, the worst card of the three.

Lowry, who shot a three under par 70 in the opening round, had five birdies, an eagle and one bogey in a second round 67. Kearney, who stepped in at the last moment to replace the injured Richard Kilpatrick, shot rounds of 72, 72, 76 while Ward fired rounds of 78, 69 and 74.