Shubhankar Sharma Clings On; Woods, McIlroy Out as Lowry Leads Open

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma showcased his resilience during the second round of the 152nd Open on Friday. Despite birdies on the 15th and 16th holes, he ended with a 1-over 72, totalling 6-over for two rounds. Sharma, who turns 28 on Sunday, faced challenges with bogeys on the seventh and ninth holes, pushing him to 7-over for the tournament.

Sharma's Battle to Stay in the Tournament

A birdie on the 12th was countered by a bogey on the 14th. However, Sharma managed to birdie from 20 feet on the 15th and added another on the Par-5 16th, bringing him to 5-over. Unfortunately, he dropped a shot on the 17th, finishing at 6-over and tied for 72nd. On the final hole, he reached the green in regulation but missed a birdie putt, settling for par.

As Sharma fought to remain in contention for the weekend, Shane Lowry moved into a strong position for a second Open title. Lowry's scores of 66-69 placed him at 7-under, two shots ahead of Englishmen Justin Rose and Dan Brown. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was tied for fourth at 2-under alongside Billy Horschel and Dean Burmester.

Big Names Exit Early

Several notable golfers exited early due to challenging conditions at Royal Troon. Tiger Woods announced he would return to Portrush but would not compete again this year until his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and the PNC Father-Son tournament. Woods shot 79-77, finishing at 14-over. He remarked, "I'd like to have played more, but I just wanted to make sure that I was able to play the major championships this year."

Woods reflected on his physical condition and future plans: "I've gotten better, even though my results really haven't shown it... I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively." He expressed his love for playing major championships despite not being physically sharp this year.

Lowry Leads After Strong Performance

Shane Lowry led the field with a score of 7-under after rounds of 66 and 69. He aimed for his second Open win following his victory in Portrush five years ago. Lowry's performance included five birdies against a bogey and a double bogey on the infamous Railway hole. He recovered with birdies on the 16th and 18th holes.

Meanwhile, Indian-Americans Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala were headed home early. Bhatia finished at 7-over after rounds of 76-73, while Theegala was at 6-over after the first round and added another five-over through nine holes in the second round.

Aaron Rai, an Englishman with Indian heritage, shot a first-round score of 73 and was at 3-over through 14 holes in the second round, totalling 5-over.

Sharma's chances of making the cut depended on it dropping to 6-over. With only those scoring within this range advancing, Sharma remained hopeful as he awaited final results.