Level-headed Shane Lowry stays in hunt

Shane Lowry heads into the third round today at Chambers Bay still very much in contention after securing his first weekend at the US Open in three attempts.

The leading Irishman, who had missed cuts on his championship debut at Congressional in 2011 and last year at Pinehurst by a stroke, had opened his 2015 account with an excellent one under-par 69 on Thursday and he followed it up with a second patient round, a level-par 70.

“You never know, it’s a bit early to be talking about winning,” a happy Lowry said. “There’s a lot of golf to be played yet. If I can just go out, keep doing my own thing, I am driving the ball, my iron play feels good.”