Shane Lowry lost his cool with a cameraman but managed to calm down to ensure his Open hopes didn’t blow up as the winds whipped around Royal Troon.
The Irishman was the clubhouse leader last night after he backed up his opening round 66 with a 69 to go to seven under.
Now the 2019 Claret Jug winner heads into the weekend right on track for a second victory at this Major.
But it could have all gone off the rails on the 11th - The Railway hole - when he launched a foul-mouthed tirade at a cameraman after a mishit shot found the bushes.
Lowry, 37, flew his second left out of the rough and into trouble which put the broadcast man in the firing line of a verbal volley.
"As I was over the ball I could just see you putting your camera up,” Lowry said in anger. “Just get back there. F*** sake.”
Lowry was more philosophical in his post-round press conference about the incident. “Just there was a cameraman there, and he was walking up, and I asked him to stop or move back, and he just kind of stayed there,” he said.
“As it was over, he put his camera up. I kind of saw it out of the corner of my eye, and I should stood off it, my own fault.” But the drama on that hole was far from over. Lowry took a provisional and found the green with a makeable putt for bogey.
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He told the official on the walk down the fairway that the first ball was lost but then a punter found it in a bush.
The eagle-eyed spectator was soon a bit sheepish when he noticed Lowry’s anger that it had been discovered and he was told by the official he had to play it.
When asked if he had seen the fan, Lowry said: “I didn't. I just was trying to figure out what I was going to do, if I was going to make a five or a six.”
Lowry was forced to take a drop and played his fourth short but managed to get off with a double bogey. It meant the two shots gained on the front nine when he took advantage of the calmer conditions were given back.
“I felt like through that whole process of that 20 minutes, it was whatever it was, of taking the drop, seeing where I could drop, and I felt like I was very calm and composed,” he said. “To be honest, I was happy enough leaving there with a six. It wasn't a disaster.”
Lowry could have completely lost the plot but he battled through the next four holes as the wind speeds picked up to stay five under before a superb birdie on the par 5 16th, which was tapped in after a fine putt cosied up to the hole.
There was a fist in the air on the 18th green in front of the clubhouse and grandstands when his fifth birdie of the day dropped in after an expertly played second shot set him up.
Lowry has been known for letting emotions get the better of him in the past but the composure to put the 11th hole behind him could be key come Sunday afternoon.
“Sometimes you are in a frame of mind that it works better for,” he said. “You know, you get on with it better than other times. Almost ready for anything that's thrown at me, I feel like I'm ready to take it on the chin and move on.
“I just have to deal with it and try and make the best of it and see where it leads me.” It could yet lead him to another Claret Jug if he keeps this up.
