Lowry and McIlroy well placed for tilt at Cognizant Classic

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy are both well placed at the midway point in the Cognizant Classic in Florida, with American Bud Cauley leading the field.

The 33-year old Cauley, with a single professional victory to his name on the Korn Ferry Tour, posted a blemish-free 65 to reach 11-under par, leading by a stroke from Austin Eckroat and South Africa's Garrick Higgo.

The Irish duo can't be separated after two days, sitting tied-sixth on eight-under after recording consecutive rounds of 67.

Lowry, seeking his first victory since the 2022 BMW Championship, might have gotten closer to the leader but for missed birdie opportunities over the closing holes.

Beginning with an underwhelming even par outward nine, he hit a hot streak around the turn, rattling in four successive birdies from 10 to 13.

While he was unable to build on this stretch, Lowry, who finished runner-up to Sepp Straka in the 2022 event - when it was the Honda Classic - is well poised to strike heading into Saturday.

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McIlroy plotted a slightly different route to his 67, birdieing three of the four finishing holes at 15, 16 and 18.

"It was pretty similar to yesterday, a bunch of pars in a row. And then I had a really good finish," McIlroy said afterwards.

"It's one of those courses where you've got to stay super-patient. People are not going to get away from you here but there are still chances to make birdies."

Padraig Harrington, however, won't be around for the weekend, the Dubliner's 73 on Friday leaving him at two-over for the tournament, four strokes outside the cut-line.