Shane Lowry going strong in final bid to confirm Ryder Cup place

Shane Lowry on the 13th tee during day one of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Picture: Steven Paston/PA 

Shane Lowry powered up the leaderboard on day two of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Friday afternoon.

The Offaly man shot a round of 66 to sit on eight-under at the halfway mark, four shots behind leader Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

This event is Lowry's last chance to cement his place in the automatic Ryder Cup qualifying places and secure a coveted debut at Whistling Straits later this month.

A late birdie saw Aphibarnrat edge ahead of England's Laurie Canter but while the pair battle it out for the title over the weekend on top of a packed leaderboard, there will be eyes on the Ryder Cup battle.

Lowry will be able to grab the full attention of Europe captain Pádraig Harrington, as the Dubliner is set to miss the cut, as he is on two-over, outside the top 100.

Lowry and Lee Westwood’s Ryder Cup places are under threat from Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, who could overtake Rory McIlroy in the European points list with a top-50 finish or better.

That would mean McIlroy qualifies via the world points list instead of Lowry, who in turn could knock Westwood out with a top-eight finish or better, depending on Westwood’s result.

Westwood was on course to miss the cut when he covered the front nine in 37 to fall back to level par, but made four birdies on the back nine to record a second-successive 70.

Wiesberger is currently three under, tied for 39th place.

“I’m here to try and win the BMW PGA Championship and Sunday night, if you’re in the team, then you start thinking about the Ryder Cup,” Westwood said.

“There’s so many variables as well with the way we’ve set up the qualification this time around. This tournament is heavily loaded compared to everything else we’ve done and I think it’s something to maybe look at in the future.

“You can see how players are reacting to it out on the golf course. You know there’s people right in there and they are shooting scores where clearly they have got other things on their mind.

“I’ve played with Shane, he’s managed to block everything out well and play well and Shane Lowry is the kind of player that you want on your Ryder Cup team. I’m pleased to see him play well.”

Graeme McDowell (-4) and Jonathan Caldwell (-3) are set to make the cut and feature in the weekend's action.