Everything you need to know from the second round at The K Club.
Sharma was joined at the top of the leaderboard, while McIlroy and Lowry wowed the crowds on Friday at the 2023 Horizon Irish Open.
Here is everything you need to know from the second round at The K Club.
Sharma's fabulous front nine
Shubhankar Sharma went into the second round with a slender one-shot lead but soon built up a much more comfortable advantage, notching seven birdies and no bogeys in a front-nine 28 on Friday to distance himself from the chasing pack. The Indian star then bounced straight back from his first bogey of the day at the tenth with a birdie on the 11th but dropped another shot at the 17th after finding the water there. A closing par saw him head into the weekend on 13 under - tied at the top of the leaderboard with Jordan Smith, who posted a second-round 65.
Hill's hat-trick
Most golfers would be delighted to card one eagle in a round. On Friday Calum Hill managed three inside his first ten holes! Having picked up two shots on the par-five fourth, the Scot went back-to-back at the ninth and tenth for a hat-trick of eagles. He also made three birdies and two bogeys to sign for a 65.
Magic from McIlroy
World Number Two Rory McIlroy received one of the loudest cheers of the day at the par-five 16th as he holed his approach shot from 116 yards for an extraordinary eagle. Going straight at it was a brave play, and he was richly rewarded.
The Northern Irishman also wowed the crowds with this bold recovery shot at the seventh...
Schott goes low
Early starter Freddy Schott made a huge move up the leaderboard after carding a sensational 64 - the lowest round of the week so far. The German, who had opened with a 71 on Thursday, bounced back from an early bogey on day two with four successive birdies from the fifth hole before making five more on the back nine to earn a share of sixth place.
Lowry's big finish
Home favourite Shane Lowry saved his best for last as he finished his second-round 68 with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th. After holing from 20 feet at his penultimate hole of the day, the Irishman tapped in for a closing birdie to go into the weekend on eight under.
