The world No. 3 won his first US Tour title at Quail Hollow in 2010 and has recorded five top-10 finishes in six appearances at the event, including a course-record 61 in the third round a year ago on his way to a seven-shot win.
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En route to his 6-under 66, Roberto Castro became the third player to hole-out for an eagle-2 on No. 18.
Like Loupe, Castro is an alternate in next week’s PLAYERS Championship and can only earn a spot into the field with a win this week. “You know, it was I would say before maybe not the complete belief or knowledge of knowing what to do and how to win to get the job done, but now it’s fun to go out there and go take care of business”. “I’ve continued to swing it better and better as the tournament’s gone on and nice to finally get into a bit of a rhythm”.
Justin Rose was the best placed European on four under par after a second successive round of 70, with fellow Englishman Paul Casey a shot further back after a second round 71.
“It’s halftime”, Loupe said after Friday’s 1-under-par round. I’ve been working a lot on the range and I was still in range mode on the front nine.
Chesson Hadley was two shots back on six-under-par, and Wheatcroft joined Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Daniel Berger and Brian Harman in a group on five-under.
Bogeys at 10 and 14 kept Lowry on the defensive, and a birdie three on the 18th for 73 and three-over par overall was little consolation as he faced a long wait to discover if he would make the cut.
“I don’t want to spend the first few days of next year before the PGA Championship learning the basics of the course”, said Casey, who started Saturday’s third round six shots behind leader Andrew Loupe. “I hit a great one there”, said Fowler.
He bogeyed the next when his approach from ideal position was knocked straight down by a gust of wind, and added another bogey two holes later when he couldn’t hold his tee-ball into the par-3 No. 14.
Berger said he enjoys the more hard courses on tour, and Quail Hollow falls in that category. He made a routine birdie at the par-5 No. 15 before sinking a 27-footer at No. 16.
Meanwhile, American Zac Blair was disqualified for using a non-conforming club after bending his putter when he hit himself in the head with it having missed a putt for birdie.
After bogeying the 13th for the second straight day out of the front bunker, Fowler stepped to the 345-yard 14th and pulled out the driver.
Jim Furyk, playing in his first tournament in eight months in his return from a wrist injury, also missed the cut with rounds of 73 and 75.
BIRDIE BONANZA: So Yeon Ryu birdied five of her last eight holes for a bogey-free 7-under 65 and a two-stroke lead in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic at Prattville, Ala. 2-4 and added two more on the par-4 sixth and par-5 eighth.
Ryann O’Toole and Australia’s Minjee Lee were tied for second.
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Playing on the tough Red Course at Royal golf Dar Es Salam, the 25-year-old went into day two with a share of the lead at four under after an opening 68.
