Shane Lowry holds his fifth career 36-hole lead/co-lead in individual stroke-play events after firing a 5-under 67 to reach 8-under at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He is 1-for-4 in converting to victory (2019 Open Championship).
“I don’t know if it’s the driver issues, because my good ones are pretty good, it’s just I don’t have a lot of trust in it at the minute. There’s a lot of tough tee shots out here and you really need to trust yourself. It’s getting there, it felt a little better, but not as comfortable as I normally am. It’s normally one of the best clubs in my bag. But I feel like when I do get it in play I can be pretty dangerous,” said Lowry.
“I think my driver gave up on me last week, the one that I’ve been using. I didn’t drive it great around PGA National and figured there was something wrong with my driver. I’ve been testing a few this week. I used a different one on Sunday last week, and then tested a few on Tuesday. I found one that I really like, but it just takes a lot of trust on the course. When you get to a golf course like this there’s a handful of really, really tough tee shots that you really need a great level of commitment and trust, and I’ll try to do that for the weekend.
“I hit a great tee shot up 18. 18 is one of the tougher tee shots on the course. If you miss it, you know you’re going to make bogey or pretty much you probably are. So after playing 16 the way I did, hit a brutal tee shot there, to play 17, 18 the way I did I was pretty happy with myself.
“8-under after two rounds around this place is pretty good. Excited to have a late tee time here tomorrow and looking forward to the weekend.”
The 37-year-old Irishman is seeking his fourth career PGA Tour victory having last won at the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Rory McIlroy.
Lowry has had one top-10 in four starts this season, he finished runner-up at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and sits No. 18 in the FedExCup.
American Wyndham Clark started the day in the lead and fired four birdies, a bogey and a double bogey at the par-4 1th for a 71 to move down into second place at 6-under.
Canadian Corey Conners entered the week with four consecutive top-25 finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, including a solo third in 2021 and currently holds a share of third place at 5-under after carding a 70. He has had one top-10 finish in five starts this season (T5/The Sentry).
Having missed the cut the last two years at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Collin Morikawa sits in T3 after posting a 68 in his first career bogey-free round at Bay Hill. The American has had nine top-10s in 25 starts since his last PGA Tour title at the 2023 Baycurrent Classic, including a runner-up at the 2025 Sentry, one of three starts this season.
2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion and World No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is tied in fifth place at 4-under after a second 70.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffer of the United States fired four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey at the par-3 2nd for a 72 and a share of 12th place at 1-under.
After opening with a 5-over 77, American World No. 3 Xander Schauffele posted a 1-under 71 to make the cut on the number, extending his Tour-best streak of made cuts to 58. He lies in T46 at 4-over.
