Lowry makes New Orleans cut, but 10 shots off lead

Shane Lowry will tee off from two under par later this afternoon at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Former Irish Open champion carded a brilliant 68 yesterday to make the weekend cut, but is 10 shots off the leader Lucas Glover who took his place at the top of the leaderboard at the midway point as Chinese teenager Guan Tianlang once again caught the eye.

American Glover carded a 67 on the second day to add to his opening round of 65 to sit 12 under par overall, one stroke ahead of his countryman Boo Weekley.

But just as many eyes were focused a little further down the leaderboard, where 14-year-old Guan matched his achievement at the Masters by making the cut with nothing to spare, carding a 69 to finish three under for the day and for the tournament in a share of 57th.

“I think I played a very good round today and I made a lot of birdies and a couple of good up and downs,” he told www.pgatour.com. “So I think I had a pretty good round.

“Making the cut is one of my goals. I’m having fun these couple of days, and I hope to play my best and go a little further into the weekend.”

Guan’s round, which contained five birdies and two bogeys and was watched by huge crowds from start to finish, took some of the spotlight away from Glover at the top of the leaderboard.

Glover sunk eight birdies against three bogeys to take over at the top from overnight leader Ricky Barnes, who undid much of his good work on day one by carding a four-over 76, 12 shots worse than his opening round.

Weekley got his second eagle in as many days, at the par-four 10th, to sit a shot behind Glover and one ahead of DA Points, while Morgan Hoffmann was fourth on nine under and Ernie Els fifth on eight under.

Hoffmann, a relative youngster on tour who, at 23, is till nearly 10 years older than Guan, said of the achievement of the young Chinese: “[It] is unbelievable. You know, The Masters and then here, it’s awesome...

“I hope he understands what he’s doing, because everybody out here is following him.”

England’s Justin Rose and Brian Davis led the European challenge in a group of six men on seven under, one ahead of Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts.

Defending champion Jason Dufner just made the cut, like Guan, at three under.