‘If I’m up there on Sunday afternoon, I know there’s a crowd that’ll be behind me’: Shane Lowry revelling in Irish Open lead

The children bodysurfed to their hearts’ content down the grassy dunes, squeals of delight accompanying their thrill rides. Yet, the happiest head of all belonged to Shane Lowry, his broad smile evidence that poker isn’t his thing. He couldn’t hide his delight if his life depended on it.

And rightly so. A brilliant second-round 62, a course record, moved the Offaly man to an 11-under-par 129 at the midpoint of the Amgen Irish Open, three shots clear of China’s Haotong Li and Danish duo Jacon Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard.