Amgen Irish Open: Day two digest

Home hero Shane Lowry set the pace with a course record 62 to take the lead, Richard Mansell made the cut in style and Luke Donald's hole out eagle was among the best shots on day two of the Amgen Irish Open.

Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at Trump Interational Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg.

Lowry leads after course record

17 years after he held the 36 hole lead as an amateur, Shane Lowry delighted the home fans with a course record eight-under 62 on day two of the Amgen Irish Open.

The Irishman made nine birdies and one bogey at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg to set the target at 11 under par and take a three stroke lead over Haotong Li, Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Norgaard.

“It was nice. It was real fun out there,” he said of his fourth ever 62 on the DP World Tour.

“I got off to a nice start and then I just kept going. I felt great out there. Just kept my foot on the gas and tried to keep hitting good shots and keep holing putts.

Richard Mansell makes the weekend in style

Before Shane Lowry went one better, it was Richard Mansell who carded the lowest round of the day with a seven under par 63. After an opening round six over par 76, Mansell's bogey-free round included five birdies and an eagle at the par five fourth.

Danish duo in the hunt

A couple of weeks ago Jacob Skov Olesen and Niklas Nørgaard finished in a tie for second place at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, and they find themselves tied again in second place alongside Haotong Li after a pair of matching 64s in Doonbeg.

While Olesen put together a burst of birdies on his back nine from the 14^th to 16^th holes, it was Norgaard who got late cheers from the crowds after scaring the hole at the 18^th and capping off his round with a closing birdie to join the chasing pack. He credited his caddie for a change in attitude this week.

“I think I've just been trying to have a little bit more fun in between shots. Now this week I have my coach on the bag, and I told him, Please don't say too much coaching things, let just be a friend out there. And then we have just been having some fun in between the shots.

McIlroy targetting a big weekend

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is hoping to turn it around tomorrow after back-to-back 69s during the opening two rounds currently see him in a tie for 20th on two under par.

The two-time Amgen Irish Open winner said he struggled to get the putter going but is hopeful he can mount a challenge over the weekend as he aims to catch Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry.

“The conditions were a little bit easier, and because of that, the pace of play was much better. The course was certainly gettable, there was a lot of pretty low scores out there. I felt like I hit it well enough to shoot a little one [score], but I just couldn't get the putter going at all.

“The last two days the greens have confused me a little bit, I’ve been struggling to read them. But hopefully I turn it around tomorrow, hole some putts, and try to get myself back in it.

Donald holes out for eagle!

Luke Donald made sure he was at Doonbeg for the weekend thanks to a brilliant 67 that included a hole out eagle from 92 yards at the second. The Ryder Cup Captain has already confirmed he and a group of players will be headed to Adare Manor after the conclusion of the Amgen Irish Open, but he's got a couple more rounds to go first!

Better conditions, more highlights

There were plenty of memorable shots on day two, including hole outs, eagle putts from off the green and chip ins.