Tom McKibbin made a significant move up the leaderboard in Madrid as Shane Lowry narrowly missed the cut after a much-improved round at day two of the Spanish Open.
McKibbin shot a six-under-par round of 65 at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, which included five birdies and an eagle to move up 40 places into the top 10 at six under, three shots off the lead of Englishman Marco Penge.
McKibbin’s eagle at the seventh hole came after an excellent 243-yard approach to 12 feet, which he sank to leave himself in contention heading into the weekend.
It was a day that promised more for Lowry, who played much better and got within the cut line with three holes to go after birdies at the 13th and 14th holes. He could have been better than four under for his round after he lipped out from a chip on the 12th and from a putt for eagle at the 14th.
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A bogey at the 16th proved costly as he hit a fairway bunker off the tee and ended up missing a par putt from four feet. Lowry had a chance to birdie the last but his 16-foot putt slipped by and meant his three-under-par 68 was not enough to make up for his opening 75. It is his first non-Major tournament missed cut since January and he will turn his attention to the DP World India Championship next week in Delhi.
Conor Purcell withdrew from the event after shooting an 81 on Thursday.
Lowry’s playing partner and Ryder Cup team-mate Jon Rahm made a significant move on Friday with a five-under-par 66 that could have been even better but for a string of missed short putts in the middle of the round. Seven birdies on the day, however, showed why he was favourite to win a fourth Spanish Open title and he is five off the lead on four under.
Penge, a two-time winner this season, could make it a hat-trick after following up his opening 66 with a 67 and would move up to second in the Race to Dubai rankings behind Rory McIlroy with a win, although McIlroy still holds a healthy advantage.
