Shane Lowry (1st/-7) has his fourth career 36-hole lead/co-lead in individual stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR (most recent: 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard/3rd) and 1-for-3 converting the victory (2019 Open Championship); fourth lead/co-lead after any round in a Major (2016 U.S. Open/R3/4 strokes, 2019 Open Championship/R2/tied, 2019 Open Championship/R3/4 strokes).
Related: Open qualifier Daniel Brown to the fore at Royal Troon
His third under-par score at The Open Championship when making a double bogey or worse and first since 2022 (R2/68).
Opened a Major with two rounds in the 60s for the fourth time in his 46th career start (69-69/2024 PGA Championship/T6, 67-67/2019 Open Championship/Won, 69-64/2018 PGA Championship/T12).
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Three of the last four 36-hole leaders/co-leaders at The Open Championship have gone on to win: Brian Harman/2023, Cameron Smith/2022, Shane Lowry/2019.
Seeks to become the first non-American Major winner since Jon Rahm (2023 Masters Tournament).
A victory for the 2019 champion would end a streak of 10 consecutive first-time Open Championship winners (longest streak is 11 from 1994-2004); Ernie Els in 2012 is the last player to become a multiple winner of The Open Championship.
Last player to win their first two Major titles at The Open Championship: Padraig Harrington (2007, 2008).
Has two top-10s in 11 career Open Championship appearances entering the week (T9/2014, Won/2019).
Has three top-10s in Majors since his win at the 2019 Open Championship (2024 PGA Championship/T6, 2022 Masters Tournament/T3, 2021 PGA Championship/T4)
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Justin Rose (T2/-5) marks his best position through 36 holes at a Major since he held a one-stroke lead through 36 holes at the 2021 Masters Tournament (7th).
Posted 66-68 in Final Qualifying at Burnham & Berrow to earn his 21st career appearance at The Open Championship; owns three career top-10 finishes at The Open Championship, including a T2 in 2018.
His 21 starts is the second-most at The Open Championship of any player in the field without a victory (24, Adam Scott).
With the win, would be the fourth-oldest winner of The Open Championship (43 years, 11 months, 21 days) and the oldest since Roberto Di Vicenzo in 1967 (44 years, 3 months, 1 day).
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Is making his 44th start in a Major since his last victory at the 2013 U.S. Open; owns 13 top-10 finishes in that span, including three runner-up results (2018 Open Championship, 2017 Masters Tournament, 2015 Masters Tournament).
The 2018 FedExCup Champion enters the week at No. 75 in the FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List; has only failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs once since their inception in 2007 (2021)..
Has one top-10 finish in 16 starts on TOUR this season (T6/PGA Championship).
18-hole leader Daniel Brown (T2/-5) posted 72 to sit one back in his Major championship debut; World No. 272 entered the week with two career starts on the PGA TOUR (2023 ISCO Championship/T7, 2024 Genesis Scottish Open/61st); also sat T2 through 36 holes at the 2023 ISCO Championship.
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Scottie Scheffler (T4/-2) opened with 70-70 to trail by five strokes; has come from behind after 36 holes in six of his 11 stroke-play victories on the PGA TOUR, including three times when trailing by six or more strokes (9/2022 WM Phoenix Open, 8/2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, 6/2024 PLAYERS Championship).
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