Record-equalling 62 sets up Lowry for British Open ticket
The 23-year-old, who won last year’s Irish Open as an amateur, will now play his first major after matching one of Nick Faldo’s best-ever rounds, setting the record in the 1986 European Open.
Lowry, only one under par at the turn during his morning round, started for home with six successive birdies and by pitching to 18 inches at the 425-yard 17th he was able to equal the joint lowest score of Faldo’s European Tour career. “I’ve been struggling on the greens and confidence was a bit low, so I changed my putter this morning,” said Lowry. “After nine holes I said to my caddie I’m going to have to be patient and it certainly paid off. St Andrews is going to be great. I said at the start of the year it’s one tournament I wanted to play.”
Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley missed out as did Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy.
However, Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was in fine form as he produced a remarkable course record-equalling 62 on Sunningdale New to earn himself a place in next month’s Open at St Andrews – the course where he finished runner-up to Tiger Woods five years ago.
Needing a second round 65 just to be in a play-off at the 36-hole qualifying event, the 46-year-old, now ranked 365th in the world, went three better than that and finished joint second with fellow Scot Andrew Coltart on nine under par.
The eight-time European number one has never missed an Open since his debut at the Home of Golf in 1990 and realised it was probably his last chance to play another championship there.
“It’s a special place no question and I’m just glad the opportunity has been taken,” said Montgomerie, who turns 47 later this month.
His round equalled the record set by Graeme Storm in the same event a year ago.
Joint fourth behind Lowry meanwhile were Ireland’s Gareth Maybin and Dane Thomas Bjorn – second to Woods at St Andrews in 2000 and to Ben Curtis at Sandwich in 2003.
One stroke further back were Welshman Bradley Dredge, Spanish duo Ignacio Garrido and Jose Manuel Lara and also Argentina’s Tano Goya.
That left six men on six under with one place left, but that instantly became five because South African James Kingston had already decided to head off to Heathrow for a flight to Botswana.
Missing out alongside Clarke and McGinley and 17-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero, who would have been in the play-off if he had made a 12-foot eagle attempt on the last.
The young Italian star, now a month into his professional career, finished in a tie for 13th at Turnberry as the reigning British amateur champion and came joint 36th at The Masters in April – the best finish by a European amateur at Augusta for 73 years.
The 10th spot went to Marcel Siem, the German who led the Wales Open with a round to go, with a birdie at the first extra hole.
Welshman Jamie Donaldson, France’s Gregory Bourdy and Swede Patrik Sjoland failed to match him.
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