Mcilroy And Lowry Stay Six Off Zurich Classic Pace

Zurich Classic - second-round leaderboard

-17 I Salinda & K Velo (US); -16 B Griffin & A Novak (US); -15 R Hojgaard & N Hojgaard (Den); -14 J Bridgeman & C Phillips (US)

Selected: -13 D Skinns & B Taylor (Eng); -12 A Rai & S Theegala (Eng/US); -11 R McIlroy & S Lowry (NI/Ire), R MacIntyre & T Detry (Sco/Bel)

Missed cut: -9 M Fitzpatrick & A Fitzpatrick (Eng); -8 C Morikawa & K Kitayama (US), M Wallace & T Olesen (Eng/Den); -5 L Donald & C Villegas (Eng/Col)

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Defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry remained six disconnected nan gait astatine nan halfway shape of nan Zurich Classic aft dropping 3 precocious shots successful New Orleans.

The Irish duo, aiming to go nan first players to successfully take sides nan title, started nan time six adrift pursuing their eight-under-par fourball information of 64 connected Thursday.

They looked group to beryllium person to nan leaders aft playing their opening 12 holes connected Friday successful six nether par nether nan foursomes format but their precocious stumbles included bogeys astatine their last 2 holes arsenic they signed for a 69.

US rookies Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda retained their lead aft besides carding a 69.

"We were six nether done 12 and cruising and past a spot of a bad decorativeness but I didn't consciousness for illustration we played that severely to person nan decorativeness that we did," said McIlroy, competing successful his first arena since completing nan profession Grand Slam by winning nan Masters 2 weeks ago.

"A mates of loose shots present and there."

McIlroy holed an 11-foot eagle putt astatine nan 2nd and 4 further birdies near nan Irish duo successful a stock of 2nd spot connected 14 nether aft 12 holes.

However, McIlroy missed nan greenish pinch his attack connected 13 arsenic they dropped a changeable and further shots went astatine nan past 2 holes erstwhile they were incapable to find nan greens successful regulation.

Saturday's information will revert to nan fourball format earlier Sunday's foursomes finale.

"Tomorrow it will beryllium difficult to enactment diligent because nan fourball format you conscionable person to effort to make arsenic galore birdies arsenic you can," added nan Masters champion.

Velo and Salinda lead their chap US players Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak by 1 shot, pinch Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard a further changeable disconnected nan pace.

English brace David Skinns and Ben Taylor stock 5th spot 4 disconnected nan gait aft firing a 67 connected Friday pinch their compatriot Aaron Rai and US subordinate Sahith Theegala 1 changeable further back.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and his Belgian partner Thomas Detry stock 16th spot successful nan group that includes McIlroy and Lowry aft firing a 69 connected Friday.

The fourball constituent sees some players hitting their ain shot pinch nan champion people counting, while players return alternate shots pinch 1 shot successful nan foursomes.