Shane Lowry took control of the Amgen Irish Open on Saturday, shooting a 5-under 65 in the third round to move to 16-under 194 and build a four-shot lead heading into the final round at Doonbeg.
The home favorite handled the pressure in front of a large and especially loud crowd on the back nine, and he said afterward that the atmosphere made the day even more enjoyable. Lowry also pointed to the quality of his ball-striking and putting, saying he was starting the ball where he wanted and seeing the lines well.
That combination has put him in position to win his national open for the second time. Lowry first won the Irish Open in 2009 as an amateur, and he later added The Open in 2019. Now he has a chance to close out another big week in Ireland with the lead in hand.
How the third round unfolded
Jacob Skov Olesen briefly tied for the lead after an eagle-birdie start on the front nine, but the back nine told a different story. He said he took advantage of plenty of chances early, then could not keep that going later in the round. Lowry, meanwhile, kept building momentum and finished the day with the kind of control that usually separates the leader from the chasers.
Rory McIlroy did not make a move on Saturday. He shot 74, fell to 2 over, and ended the round 18 shots behind Lowry. McIlroy said there was no momentum early and that the windy conditions made it difficult to recover once the round got away from him.
The setting added another layer to the day. Donald Trump attended the event after meeting with Micheál Martin in Dublin, and the source says he became the first U.S. president to attend a DP World Tour event. Trump bought the Doonbeg course in 2014, and the property is now called Trump International Ireland.
For Lowry, though, the focus is simple now: protect the lead on Sunday and finish the job at his home event. As he put it, he had so much fun on the back nine and hoped the crowd would keep him going for one more day.
