The Open: Shane Lowry's potential penalty, Rory McIlroy grinds his way back into contention at Portrush
We'll bring you live updates here across the week
Gareth Hanna and Adam McKendry
It's a massive week in Royal Portrush as the 153rd Open Championship takes place.
We will bring you all the action from the course all week as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry lead the Irish challenge.
2 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Not Lowry's day
We're still none the wiser on the rules issue but, even besides that, nothing is going right for the 2019 champion as he eyes up a 10-footer for birdie on the par-four 14th but sees it burn the edge low and stay up. He'll settle for a par and stay at -1 - for now.
Scottie Scheffler also had a look at birdie that would have taken him into a share of the lead but it, too, goes wide and he remains at -8.
5 minutes ago
Fitz going to be double figures again
That's an outstanding approach into the 17th from Matt Fitzpatrick, who hammered a drive all the way down the hill on the par-four and had a flip in with a wedge to all of about two feet. That's going to be a tap-in birdie and he should be up to -10 again.
Edit: Oh my goodness, no it isn't. He's missed it. That's an absolute shocker from Fitzpatrick and he stays -9.
9 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
'A little bit p****d off': Tom McKibbin not happy to miss the cut after a two-over 73 saw him miss the cut at +3
His feelings on missing the cut:"Not great. A little bit annoyed. Yeah, a little bit p****d off. The whole week was good, sort of positive. I thought I played all right, just a few sort of stupid mistakes that, looking back, I wouldn't really hit different. The shot was fine, just sort of missed in the wrong spot or got the club slightly wrong. Overall, I actually thought I played quite nicely, just a few silly mistakes."
27 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
According to the rules
In Rule 9.4 of the Rules of Golf (the gospel of the sport) - if you cause your ball at rest to move then it is a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced. If it is not replaced and you proceed to play the stroke, then it is a two-stroke penalty.
By that video, it appears that Lowry moved his ball and then didn't replace it before playing his stroke, so that would be a two-stroke penalty. However, will they apply leniency because Lowry clearly didn't know that his ball had moved?
28 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
World number one aiming upwards
Scottie Scheffler fires it in to seven feet at the 13th, with Lowry and Morikawa further away, but also setting up makeable birdie putts.
Scheffler could be about get back to -8 - and with five holes still to play.
Edit: Scheffler tap, tap, taps it in and he's in a tie for second. No such joy for Lowry (-1).
33 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Lowry makes par... for now
A routine two putt par keeps Lowry at -1 for the week but... what will come later regarding that practice swing controversy? It's just become the evening's talking point.
40 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Fitzpatrick safe on 15
The leader got a good drive away on the 15th and has slotted his approach onto the middle of the green. You'd have to say it's highly likely there's a two-putt par coming up to stay -9.
40 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Potential penalty problem for Shane
I don't fully know the rules on this, so I'm not going to say for definite that he's in trouble here, but there is video evidence that as he took a practice swing from the rough on the par-five 12th that the impact of his club hitting the ground caused his ball to move - and quite obviously, too, there's no denying that's what happened.
The only question is what is the ruling around it? Because an action that Lowry took caused the ball to move, is that considered a stroke? Is there no problem because it wasn't a stroke aimed at the ball?
We will find out soon enough.
Fried Egg Golf on Twitter / X
Sure looks like Shane Lowry's ball moved on the practice swing here pic.twitter.com/qXkc8e1sTJ— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) July 18, 2025
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43 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Is Tom making the cut?
It's looking less and less likely as time goes on, unfortunately. He remains in a tie for 78th, needing eight players to drop to at least +3 to sneak in. The rain drying up doesn't do him any favours, either.
47 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
A tester for the leader
A poor approach from Fitzpatrick tickles off the right side of the 14th green. His chip pulls up over five feet short and he'll have that to stay at -10.
And the first sign of trouble? The putt slips past as he gesticulates angrily at the green. It's a third drop shot of the day and he falls back to -9, now just one clear of clubhouse leaders Harman and Li.
So really the heading to this post should be: Rory moves within six
51 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
West in show
Lee Westwood looked to be in serious trouble on the 18th as he found the greenside bunker and had an awful lie, from which he could only push it to 27 feet beyond the hole - a good shot in the circumstances, it must be said.
But it doesn't matter because he holes the putt back! Superb putt from the Englishman and he signs for a one-under 71 to head into the weekend level with Rory McIlroy at -3!
53 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
What about Shane?
He's been adopting a bit of a Brian Harman 'boring' style today, except with fewer birdies. It's now nine pars and one birdie (at the 3rd) for his opening 10 holes. However, that has now changed. Because he's made bogey. Turns out he had to hack out of rough - as did his playing partner Scheffler. Neither are able to save par from the back of the green and so Scheffler tumbles to -7, Lowry to -1.
57 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
'I played the same... but I said I can't give up': Bryson DeChambeau on his 13-shot swing between his first round and second round which helped him make the cut
What was the difference:"I played the same as I did yesterday. That's links golf for you. I executed pretty much the same shots as I did yesterday. I didn't feel like I played any different, today they just kind of went more my way. My wedges were just a fraction better and that was really it. Made a couple more putts. Just really felt like I was rolling it well today. There wasn't much different. That's why links golf is the way links golf is."
What did you say to yourself:"I want to go home. But I woke up this morning and I said, you know what, I can't give up. My dad always told me never to give up, just got to keep going, and that's what I did today. I was proud of the way I fought back, really persevered through some emotionally difficult moments and to hold myself together and not get p****d and slam clubs and throw things and all that like I wanted to, like I was very proud of myself."
Today 01:29 PM
Gareth Hanna
Scheffler struggling for par at 11
I know what I was saying about slow rounds out there.... but if I was these guys now, I'd be going slowly to have to hit as few shots as possible before this rain goes off. It's torrential but is due to clear up shortly. In the mean time, it's definitely having an impact as the world number one has to chop out of thick rough left of 11.
Today 01:26 PM
Gareth Hanna
See?
This is what I was saying about not wanting a Harman, English final pairing on Sunday...
Brian Harman to continue his 'very boring approach' in bid for second Open title
Former Open champion Brian Harman claims the name of the venue may have changed but his game is the same as he seeks to replicate his 2023 Claret Jug victory.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Today 01:21 PM
Adam McKendry
An ark just floated past the media centre
That means the rain is back and it is hammering down in biblical proportions again. I really don't know how else to describe it, it is absolutely chucking it down and while it might be a short shower that last 10-15 minutes, it's really going to make things miserable out there for the players. Let's see how it affects them...
Today 01:17 PM
Adam McKendry
'I feel really comfortable here': Clubhouse leader Brian Harman, who is at -8 after a second round 65
On the similarities between Hoylake and Portrush:"I feel really comfortable over here. I'm comfortable driving it. They're very different golf courses but the golf is similar. You've got to be able to flight your golf ball, you've got to know how far everything's going, then you can't get frustrated. You're going to get bad breaks, you're going to end up in funny spots where it doesn't seem fair and you just have to kind of outlast that stuff. Although the golf courses are different, the style of golf is very similar."
His approach for Saturday:"I'll approach the weekend the same way (as 2023). The only thing I'm really worried about is the first tee ball tomorrow and then I'll try to hit the next one up there close to the flag. If not, go to the second hole. It's a very boring approach that I take. I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. I know that I've got the game to do it, and it's just a matter of executing and staying in my own head. I would love to have a similar weekend (to 2023) and just play great the whole way through. There's going to be challenges. This is a hard golf course. The pins have been in really, really tough spots, and you've really got to think your way around it. Inevitably you're going to mis-hit some shots and end up in spots you don't want to be in, and the way you handle that will determine the outcome of the tournament for sure."
Today 01:16 PM
Gareth Hanna
Fitzpatrick doing a Lowry?
It's now FOUR consecutive birdies to start to the back nine for the Englishman who has opened up a two-shot lead at the top. He's now six under par for the day. A couple more birdies in his final five holes and he could yet match Shane's Saturday 63 from 2019.
The Open on Twitter / X
Into double digits with his fourth birdie in-a-row.Fitzpatrick has a two-shot lead. pic.twitter.com/LtTugd5Z2m— The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2025
Today 01:07 PM
Gareth Hanna
'We love you Darren'
A single fan's voice can be heard after a loud and lengthy round of applause, whoops and whistles subsides when Clarke reaches the green for what will be the final time this week.
The 2011 champion is very well-liked by Northern Ireland's golfing public, and they're making sure he knows it.
The man who now gives his name to the 9th hole on the Dunluce Links, is also remembered for beating Tiger Woods in the final of the 2000 WGC World Matchplay.
He closes out his week with a bogey to finish +6, but these fans have enjoyed watching him play one more time.
Today 12:59 PM
Adam McKendry
NEW SOLO LEADER
Matt Fitzpatrick is your new leader as he takes advantage of the short par-five 12th by hitting it in two and safely two-putting for the birdie that takes him to -9 and one clear of Brian Harman and Haotong Li!
Over on the 18th green, as a half full stand awaits Darren Clarke, there was a gasp and a round of applause as the leaderboard was updated to send Fitzpatrick top.
Today 12:57 PM
Gareth Hanna
Haotong joins clubhouse Li'd
Haotong Li matches yesterday's 67 to tie Brian Harman 's clubhouse lead of eight under par.
Unfortunately for them, it looks like Matt Fitzpatrick is about to go one shot clear as he's on the par five 12th in two.
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