Lowry seemed set for an early exit till he birdied his final 4 holes for a second spherical of 70, the previous Open champion rounding off an excellent fightback by holing from 20 toes on the 18th to the delight of the big crowds.
Enjoying associate and compatriot Seamus Energy additionally birdied the final in a second consecutive 68 to depart him eight below par, three behind chief Campillo.
Spain’s Jorge Campillo set the tempo on the midway stage of the Horizon Irish Open as house favorite Shane Lowry staged a grandstand end to make the lower at Mount Juliet.
“It was fairly cool,” Lowry mentioned with appreciable understatement. “To be trustworthy I’d virtually half-resigned myself to the truth that I used to be going house, packing my baggage.
“Don’t know if I’ve ever birdied the final 4 to make the lower, in order that’s a primary, and I’m simply blissful to be within the weekend.
“All people is aware of how a lot this match means to me and the way a lot I wish to be right here. I do know it’s offered out on the weekend and I do know there’s fairly just a few individuals who wish to come down and see me play, so it’s good that I’m right here now and I’m trying ahead to the weekend.”
At three below par Lowry is eight pictures off the tempo as he appears to be like to win the occasion for a second time, the 35-year-old famously lifting the title as an beginner in 2009.
“I have to go low tomorrow clearly, however I really feel like I discovered one thing on the again 9, so I’m excited for the weekend and the (JP McManus) pro-am Monday, Tuesday and The Open.
“I believe that’s why I let myself play good golf as a result of I used to be telling myself coming down the previous few holes that I discovered one thing on the greens and mentally.”
Energy, who carded seven birdies and three bogeys in his 68, added: “It was a variety of enjoyable on the finish there, Shane holing that putt on the final was as loud a roar as you hear on a golf course.
“It was good to be part of it and I used to be delighted I used to be in a position to make a putt after him.”
Campillo added a 68 to his opening 65 for a midway complete of 11 below par, one shot forward of Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti.
“I performed nice over the past two days, so I can’t complain,” the world quantity 350 mentioned. “As we speak was a little bit more durable than yesterday and I managed to play OK as nicely, so I’m fairly blissful about it.
“It’s going to be a tough weekend, but when I can hold placing the ball in play off the tee, hitting good irons like I’ve been doing, not lacking brief putts – missed just a few immediately – it will likely be a great weekend I believe.”
Three-time main winner Padraig Harrington joined Lowry in making the lower on three below due to an excellent end, the newly-crowned US Senior Open champion following a double bogey on the seventh – his sixteenth gap – with birdies on the eighth and ninth.
