Brian Keogh

Rory McIlroy opened the FedEx St Jude Championship with a scrappy four-over 74 after dropping four shots across his final three holes, leaving him nine strokes behind leaders Jordan Spieth and Michael Thorbjornsen. Scottie Scheffler shot 68, while Tommy Fleetwood and Gary Woodland were one shot off the lead. Shane Lowry’s 69 kept his hopes of qualifying for the BMW Championship alive, but Robert MacIntyre struggled to an 82. The report also covers strong opening rounds by Mark Power at the Irish Challenge and Anna Foster at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open.

Shane Lowry remains confident about contending for a second Claret Jug after posting rounds of 69 and 68 at Royal Birkdale. Emphasizing control of his game and emotions, he believes a strong run of birdies could put him in serious contention despite trailing the leaders. Lowry downplays concerns about his FedEx Cup position, focusing instead on winning the Open and overcoming recent form struggles. He describes recent inconsistencies as a minor career dip and feels well‑positioned heading into the weekend.