Irish Open third-round leaderboard
-16 S Lowry (Ire); -12 J Skov Olesen (Den); -9 J Niemann (Chi); -7 D Rodrigues (Por), T McKibbin (NI)
Selected others: -6 P Reed (US), R Fisher (Eng), R Hojgaard (Den), A Sullivan (Eng); -4 A Fitzpatrick (Eng), R MacIntyre (Sco); -2 L Nolan (Ire); -1 J Rahm (Spa); +2 R McIlroy (NI)
Shane Lowry produced an inspired display on the greens to take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Irish Open and close in on his first individual win since 2022.
The Irishman started the third round three shots clear after shooting a scintillating course-record 62 on Friday at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare.
Despite being caught by Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, Lowry one-putted every green on the back nine in a five-under 65 to maintain control of the tournament.
“I’m normally the one watching other people do it, so why not me sometimes,” Lowry said when asked about his joy on the greens.
“It’s nice, I’m seeing my lines well and starting the ball where I want and they’re going in and hopefully that stays that way for another 24 hours.”
Olesen, chasing his first DP World Tour title, bogeyed the final hole to shoot a four-under 66, a score matched by Chile’s Joaquin Niemann to move into third place on his own.
On a day when play was briefly halted amid US President Donald Trump’s arrival at the course as part of a two-day visit to Ireland, defending champion Rory McIlroy (74) and two-time winner Jon Rahm (72) both slipped back to erase their hopes of lifting the trophy again.
