Eire’s Shane Lowry leads The Open by two on the midway stage after a blustery second spherical at Royal Troon.

Lowry, the 2019 champion, rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on the final as he adopted his opening 66 with a two-under 69 to enhance to seven underneath.

“To shoot within the 60s is superb any day on this course, even when the circumstances aren’t this dangerous. I am very completely happy,” he advised BBC Sport NI, referring to the 30mph winds that had been buffeting the hyperlinks throughout his spherical.

No Englishman has received the Claret Jug since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 however two are main the chasing pack on 5 underneath.

Former US Open and Olympic champion Justin Rose holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th to affix Dan Brown, the world quantity 272 who was the shock spherical one chief on six underneath and backed that up with a 72.

“That was a tough spherical of golf, an incredible spherical of golf,” Rose, who performed by the worst of the circumstances, advised BBC Sport.

When he teed off at 12:42 BST the 366-yard first gap was taking part in round 100 yards longer due to the power of the wind.

“It was the kind of day the place the course was relentless. There was no let-up and it was good to complete with a smile on my face,” mentioned the 43-year-old, who nonetheless “goals” of profitable an Open title 26 years after ending fourth as a 17-year-old beginner at Royal Birkdale.

The trio are three away from world primary Scottie Scheffler. The American, who has already received six occasions this 12 months, together with the Masters in April, hit a 70 to affix compatriot Billy Horschel (68) and South African Dean Burmester (69) on two underneath.

Australia’s Jason Day had a bogey-free 68 and sits alongside Canada’s Corey Conners (70) on one underneath.

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are additionally on that mark though Cantlay’s 68 was 4 photographs higher than his good buddy might handle to depart solely 10 gamers underneath par.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and Northern Eire’s Rory McIlroy are among the many later starters.