Golf

Shane Lowry moves into contention at The Honda Classic after 65

Irish golfer trails leader Chris Kirk by four shots after finishing runner-up at the tournament last year

Ireland's Shane Lowry lines up a putt on the second hole during the third round of The Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Photograph: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
Ireland's Shane Lowry lines up a putt on the second hole during the third round of The Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Photograph: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
Sat Feb 25 2023 - 23:12

Shane Lowry moved into contention at the The Honda Classic after a five-under 65 moved the Irish golfer to nine under, four behind third-round leader Chris Kirk.

Second behind Austria’s Sepp Straka at last year’s event, Lowry made seven birdies and two bogeys on The Champion Course at PGA National, near to his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

His run of birdies at the signature par-three 17th ran out as he made a bogey on Saturday, but he also chipped in for a birdie from off the green on the 11th to kick-start a hat-trick of birdies that ended with a bogey on the 14th.

Kirk carded a four-under 66 in his third round to open up a two-shot lead over Eric Cole, who also carded a 66. John Suh carded a level-par 70, which included missing a short birdie putt on the last. He remains on 10 under, a shot clear of Lowry and England’s Ben Taylor, who made 69 on Saturday.

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Lowry will play in the penultimate pairing in the final round alongside Suh, teeing off at 6.25pm Irish time on Sunday.

Pádraig Harrington carded a one-under 69 to move to one under for the tournament.