Tranlate this title Rory McIlroy says what gives Shane Lowry an advantage at the Irish Open in spanish

Shane Lowry has put himself in a very good position at the Irish Open after producing one of the best rounds of the tournament so far.

The 39-year-old Irishman carded a course-record 62 on Friday at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg. Lowry made nine birdies and only one bogey to move to 11-under par and take a three-shot lead into the weekend.

It was quite a different story compared to Thursday, when the players had to deal with very difficult wind and a round that lasted more than six hours for some groups. Lowry still opened with a 67 and gave himself a chance, before taking full advantage of much calmer conditions one day later.

Rory McIlroy has also been watching his close friend from nearby. The defending champion could not follow Lowry on the leaderboard, but McIlroy believes there is one part of Lowry’s game that gives him an advantage when the weather becomes difficult.

Rory McIlroy explains Shane Lowry’s advantage

Lowry grew up playing a lot of golf in Ireland, where wind and changing weather are nothing unusual. The former Open champion has produced great career moments on links courses.

McIlroy said that part of Lowry’s advantage starts with his own belief that these conditions suit him.

“He believes he’s a good player in windy links conditions, so I think that’s half the battle is believing that you are or knowing that you are.

I think he feels like he has an advantage when the conditions are like that. And that’s the way he sees the game. He sees the game with that flight. He doesn’t really hit the ball up in the air that often, he usually flights it a lot, even when it’s in calmer conditions.

So I just think that this type of golf suits the way he likes to see the game and then I think it gives him that little bit of extra belief that he can handle it better than most,” McIlroy said.

Lowry showed that ability during Thursday’s difficult opening round. Wind gusts reached around 35 mph and players had to make big adjustments with club selection and ball flight.

The Irishman still finished three under par. After the round, Lowry said players could not spend time complaining because everyone was dealing with the same problem.

“You just have to keep going, it’s the same for everyone. There’s no point whining about it, you just have to get on with it,” he said.

One day later, Lowry had much more freedom to attack the course. He played the front nine in 30 shots and at one stage even had a possible round of 59 in his mind.

Shane Lowry wants another Irish Open title

Lowry’s relationship with this tournament goes back a long way. He won the Irish Open in 2009 while still an amateur, becoming one of the most talked-about young golfers in Europe.

He later added the biggest trophy of his career at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush. That victory came in front of a home crowd and in links conditions, something McIlroy pointed out when discussing why Lowry is comfortable in these situations.

“It is amazing what he is doing,” McIlroy said. “He is no stranger to it. Obviously, what he did in Portrush a few years ago, and obviously winning this tournament back in 2009 as an amateur. So he knows how to handle all this stuff.”

Lowry has not won an individual tournament for several years, and his 2026 season has included some difficult periods. That makes his position in Doonbeg even more important heading into the final two rounds.

He also admitted after his 62 that it had been a while since he enjoyed a round of golf that much.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve had that much fun on the golf course,” Lowry said.

The 39-year-old also enjoyed the reaction from Irish fans, who followed him as the birdies continued to arrive.

“The crowds were amazing out there today. They support me along the way and it was nice to give them something to shout about,” he added.

Lowry knows the tournament is far from finished. Haotong Li, Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard were all three shots behind him, while poor weather was again expected during the weekend.

“There’s a long way to go yet. A long way to go,” Lowry said. “There’s going to be some elements over the weekend and it’s going to be a bit of a battle, but one thing is for sure, I’m in a good position.”