Lowry leads Irish Open by three shots after course-record 62

Shane Lowry fired a course-record 8-under 62 on Friday to seize a three-shot lead at the Irish Open, positioning himself for a potential €30,000 bonus for the week's lowest round. The Irishman, who started the day in 17th place, surged to the top of the leaderboard at Trump International Doonbeg with a total score of 11-under 129. Lowry's brilliant second round included nine birdies and a single bogey, with only three of his birdie putts coming from outside 10 feet. He built momentum with three straight birdies on the front nine and closed with another trio of birdies, briefly considering a sub-60 round before a three-putt bogey on the 13th hole. "Every time I kept making birdie, I just kept going, wanting to birdie the next," Lowry said. "I felt like I was in control out there. So it was good fun. It's been a while since I've had that much fun on the golf course, so I'll take it." The 39-year-old, who won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009, now holds a commanding lead over a chasing pack that includes China's Haotong Li and Danish duo Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Nørgaard, who are tied for second at 8-under. Li shot a 63 on Friday, while both Olesen and Nørgaard carded 64s.