Shane Lowry says he can still win the Open Championship at Royal Troon despite shooting a disappointing third-round six-over-par 77 which left him three behind tournament leader Billy Horschel.
The 2019 champion led by two on seven under after the second round but now finds himself in ninth position on one under going into Sunday’s closing 18 holes.
A birdie at the fourth saw Lowry move to eight under but his troubles started with a double-bogey five on the notoriously difficult Postage Stamp eighth.
As wind and rain enveloped the Scottish course the Irishman then posted five bogeys on the back nine, his final dropped shot coming after he hit his second shot into the grandstand down the right of the 18th.
“Obviously very gutted now but I’ve a job to do tomorrow and I’ve still got a chance to win this tournament,” Lowry told reporters after his round.
“I guess for me the eighth hole was a killer really. Make par there and you can still shoot three or four over from there and still be leading the tournament.
“It was a grind, it wasn’t much fun out there.”
‘It was brutal’
Lowry added that he felt something of a sense of injustice given the overall standard of his play on Saturday.
“It’s just hard because I thought I played a lot of unbelievable golf. Missed the first fairway and then didn’t miss another fairway until 16. Hit some great iron shots, just didn’t hole the putts early on when I had chances, then missed a few par putts.
“This game is just hard and you nearly feel hard done by for playing well the first two days in those conditions. Honestly it was brutal.”
Lowry’s frustration was clearly evident as he answered reporters’ questions soon after finishing his round but the Offaly man remains upbeat about overhauling the eight players in front of him as he bids to lift the Claret Jug for a second time after triumphing at Royal Portrush in 2019.
“There’s no doubt I’m going to go out there tomorrow thinking I can still win the tournament but it’s hard right now, you have to give me a bit of leeway.
“Ten minutes ago I had a putt for par on the 18th green and now I’m here talking to you trying to figure out how I shot 77 in my own head,” he said.
