Shane Lowry survives major scare to grab outright lead at The Open

Shane Lowry shake hands with Matt Fitzpatrick after the second round of The Open at Royal Troon. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.

Shane Lowry survived a massive scare on the notorious 11th ‘Railway’ hole to card a brilliant 69 in worsening conditions on Friday to give himself every opportunity of winning a second open Championship over the weekend.

The 2019 champion was in all sorts of difficulty at the 11th, losing a ball in the gorse, finding it courtesy of a spectator when he would have preferred to play the provisional, and eventually signing for a double bogey.