By Joel Beall
Find someone who loves you the way Shane Lowry loves the Open.

Lowry, who won the claret jug in 2019, began Round 3 at the Old Course nine shots behind 36-hole leader Cameron Smith. And on a day when most of the morning wave was making a move, the Irishman mostly stayed put, just one under through his first eight holes.

Then came the ninth and 10th. And brother, did the big man make a move.

Lowry’s drive at the short par-4 ninth finished in the heather, ostensibly leaving a precarious pitch to try and save birdie on (statistically speaking) the easiest hole on the venerable links. Lowry did one better, his chip from 43 yards finding the bottom of the cup.

Good as that was, Lowry one-upped himself at the 10th, dunking a second straight shot for an eagle 2, this one from 46 yards out, sending Lowry and the crowd into a frenzy with the Irishman imploring the crowd to turn the frenzy up to 11.

According to stats guru Justin Ray, this is the first time in the last 25 years that a player has made consecutive par-4 eagles at a major. The back-to-back feat jumped Lowry up to a tie for fifth at the time of writing, and though that position likely won’t stand as the leaders begin to make their way to the course, it’s going to be hard for anyone to top that highlight reel.

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