Shane Lowry’s Ryder Cup hopes took a hit after he missed the cut at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut on Friday.
The Offaly man failed to make the weekend after finishing on even par, carding rounds of 69 and 71 to miss the cut-off point of one-under.-par
Lowry had adjusted his playing schedule in order to gain an automatic place in Darren Clarke’s side for the Hazeltine tournament but he will now have to make an impact at the Wyndham Championship in two weeks’ time or the Made in Denmark tournament in late August to nudge himself into contention.
The 29-year-old is currently 15th on the world list with 106.51 points, while ninth-placed Matthew Fitzpatrick on 145.01 points would, as it stands, occupy the final automatic Ryder Cup pick.
Ireland's Olympic hopeful Padraig Harrington made the weekend by the skin of his teeth after finishing on one under thanks to a second-round 69 today that included two birdies and a solitary bogey.
South Africa’s Tyrone Van Aswegen, Daniel Berger and Russell Henley of the USA and Australia's Marc Leishman all share the lead on seven under par.
Another four men - Jerry Kelly, Robert Garrigus, Russel Knox and Patrick Rodgers - are a shot further back, with seven men on five under making it a wide open race for the title over the weekend.
First-round leader Vaugn Taylor is one of those on five under, while Bubba Watson is on three under.
England's Luke Donald missed the cut with score of one over.
There was a nice moment for Si Woo Kim, however, as he struck a hole in one at the par-three fifth hole, sinking his 217-yard tee shot with a four iron.
