PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Irishman Shane Lowry, who won the British Open the last time it was played at Portrush, was assessed a two-shot penalty for accidentally moving his ball with a practice swing before his second shot on the par-5 12th hole.
When Lowry finished his round, he was 2-under par for the tournament, but he met with rules officials afterward before signing his card and it was determined that his ball moved as he took a practice swing.
So, the par he’d carded on No. 12 became a double bogey, and instead of being 2-under entering the weekend, Lowry is even par, 10 shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler.
According to a source, Lowry pleaded his case to tournament officials but for naught.
“I didn’t know anything happened until walking up the 15th fairway and then the rules official came over and told me that there was a possibility the ball moved on the 12th for my second shot,’’ Lowry said afterward. “I feel like I played well on the way in and then obviously waited to see. I told them I definitely was looking down towards the ball as I was taking that practice swing, and I didn’t see it move.
“I had to take the penalty because I can’t have my name talked about or tossed around like that, and I just get on with it. It’s obviously very disappointing. I’ll just have to dust myself off and get out there tomorrow and give it a go.’’
Keegan Bradley refuses to separate himself from Ryder Cup captain and player.
On Friday, Bradley played himself into contention at 3-under for the week after shooting a 4-under 67.
With every tournament in which he plays well, he takes more questions about whether he’s going to be one of the 12 players on the team he’s going to captain.
“I really can just be a player when I’m inside the ropes,’’ Bradley said. “It’s the only time I can sort of not be the captain. When I’m inside the ropes with a card in my pocket, I really can just focus on playing, and then when I leave here, I’ll be the captain again.’’
Listening to Bradley, who won the Traveler’s Championship and is ninth on the U.S. Ryder Cup points list — the top six make the team — it’s very clear he burns to play.
“I’ve got to play really well to make the team just as if I wasn’t the captain,’’ he said. “Nothing about picking whoever it is [as captain’s picks] is going to be easy, but if I get to that position and I feel like I’m going to help the team, then I’ll consider playing. I’m going to look at myself as just another player. I just want to put the best team on the course at Bethpage.’’
Bryson DeChambeau made a spirited rally Friday to make the 36-hole cut after posting a 78 in Thursday’s opening round.
DeChambeau, chasing the 2-over cutline all day, shot a 6-under 65 on Friday to climb to 1-over and qualify for the weekend.
Asked what he told himself after a round like Thursday in which he felt like he got bad breaks, DeChambeau said, “I want to go home.’’
“But I woke up this morning and I said, ‘You know what, I can’t give up,’ ’’ he said. “I was proud of the way I fought back, really persevered through some emotionally difficult moments, and to hold myself together and not get pissed and slam clubs and throw things and all that like I wanted to, like, I was very proud of myself.’’
Shaun Norris had a weird day. He missed the cut because of a 10 he took on the par-4 fourth hole Friday. “One hole killed me today,’’ Norris said afterward. “Take that hole out this week and I’ve got another two rounds to go, and you never know what happens. This game can break the biggest people on the planet.’’
Another player who had a tough day was Dane Jacob Skov Olesen, who entered the day with a share of the lead and hit two tee shots out of bounds on the first hole to take an eight. He settled down to shoot 76 and make the cut on the number at 1-over.
Reigning Open champion Xander Schauffele shot a 2-under 69 and is 2-under for the tournament.
Phil Mickelson made the cut for the first time in the four major championships this year, standing at even par for the week after shooting 72 Friday. … Among the local Met Area players, Max Greyserman from Short Hills, N.J., missed the cut, finishing 3-over despite rallying with a 67 on Friday, and Cam Young, who grew up playing at Sleepy Hollow, finished 4-over and missed the cut.
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