PGA Tour: Patrick Cantlay birdies final four holes to grab two-shot lead at RBC Heritage | Golf News

Shane Lowry six strokes off halfway leader Patrick Cantlay with Ian Poulter, Tyrrell Hatton and Luke Donald all seven behind; watch the third round of the RBC Heritage live on Saturday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports Golf

Patrick Cantlay birded the final four holes to open up a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the RBC Heritage, as Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson missed the cut.

Cantlay’s sparkling run saw him match the lowest round of the day with a four-under 67 at Harbour Town Golf Links, taking the world No 6 to nine under and ahead of closest challenger Robert Streb.

The FedExCup champion followed a close-range birdie at the second by holing from 30 feet at the fourth, before cancelling out a bogey at the seventh by getting up and down from a greenside bunker to pick up a shot at the driveable par-four ninth.

Cantlay is searching for his first win of the season

Cantlay posted bogeys at the 11th and 14th but started his impressive run by rolling in a 15-footer at the next. He then added further birdies at the 16th and 17th and signed off his round by making another from 20 feet at the last.

“Obviously that’s a dream finish,” Cantlay said. “I finally rolled in some putts, and that was really nice to see going into the weekend. It was a tough day out there, and I figured any round under par or around even par would be a win for today. So finishing how I did puts me in a great spot.”

Overnight leader Cameron Young is one of five players heading into the weekend three off the pace in tied-third, while Jordan Spieth moved within four of the lead after a second-round 68 in tough conditions.

Shane Lowry mixed two birdies with three bogeys in a one-over 72, seeing the Irishman drop six strokes back, as Ian Poulter carded a three-under 68 to sit in tied-23rd alongside fellow Englishmen Luke Donald and Tyrrell Hatton.

Shane Lowry carded rounds of 66 and 72 over the first two days

“One over is not great today, but it’s not a disaster,” Lowry said. “Look, it was really, really tough out there. I just need to kind of focus on keeping the ball in play and just taking my birdies when I get them because I think I’m playing the golf good enough to maybe challenge at the weekend.”

Back-to-back 70s were enough to safely see Collin Morikawa make it through to the weekend, with Graeme McDowell surviving bogeying four of his last six holes to make the cut on the number, as Smith and Johnson both missed the cut by a shot.

Watch the RBC Heritage throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday with Featured Groups from 1.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 6pm.