BALTRAY, Ireland -- Irish amateur Shane Lowry bogeyed the final hole on a blustery Saturday to fall into a tie for the lead with England's Robert Rock after three rounds of the Irish Open.

Play was delayed more than five hours because of the wind. The two leaders had played just one hole in the morning before play was suspended.

Lowry three-putted the par-5 closing hole to finish at 1-under 71, leaving him at 16-under 200 entering the final round. Rock made a 20-foot putt for birdie for a 69.

Lowry is trying to become the second amateur to win on the European Tour this year following Danny Lee in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, Australia, three months ago. Rock has been second twice this year and is going for his first victory in his seventh year on tour.

Johan Edfors of Sweden had a 68 for the day's best round and was two strokes behind. Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who shot a course-record 61 in the second round, withdrew Saturday because of shin splints.

Lowry took a two-stroke lead into the third round after his 62 in gentle conditions Friday. He stayed in front until the last hole. His third shot put him within 30 feet. He putted six feet past the cup and missed.

"I felt a bit nervy playing the last, but I still feel I can win," he said.

Rock hit a poor second shot at the 18th. He followed with a 9-iron that left him 20 feet away, but he holed the putt.

"It was still very windy," Rock said. "You had to stay focused on every shot."

Not even the five-hour hold-up for strong winds rattled the burly 22-year-old Lowry in what could now become the most astonishing European Tour debut in history.

Yet it could have been better for Lowry, whose Friday 62 matched the lowest round ever by an amateur in a European Tour event, after he led by two with one hole of his third round to play.

"That was a bad bogey on the last -- I should not really have been going anywhere near the flag with my third -- but I'm still happy enough," Lowry said. "A 71 was respectable enough and I'm still in the lead, so I can't ask for any more. But I knew he was going to hole that last putt.

"I was a bit nervy coming up the last, if you're not nervous you can't be human," he added. "If I play the same I have all week, I'll have a good chance."

Two years ago at the Portuguese Open, Spaniard Pablo Martin became the first amateur to win a European title, and only three months ago Lee became the second.

But, in terms of strength of field and the fact that he is playing in front of his home fans, this would eclipse both of those -- even more so because Martin and Lee had bags of experience against professionals.

Lowry, forced off the course at 10:00 a.m. having played only one hole in foul conditions, returned at 3:15 p.m. to shoot his 71, one of only seven sub-par scores of the day.

And this while players of the caliber of Lee Westwood, Paul Lawrie and Paul McGinley all shot 77, Rory McIlroy a 76 and Welshman Jamie Donaldson, joint second at halfway, a 78.

Rock, though, returned a fine 69 as he continued his pursuit of a maiden Tour victory.

They are two in front of Swede Johan Edfors, whose 68 was the round of the day, and then there is a further four-stroke gap to Scot Alastair Forsyth, England's Nick Dougherty and Frenchman Thomas Levet. Colin Montgomerie is one further back.

The other big story of the day came when course record holder Graeme McDowell walked out of the event -- with a limp and some critical words.

The Ryder Cup star, who had recovered from an opening 77 with an incredible 11 under par 61, was forced out with shin splints in his right leg. But he might well have battled on if he had not dropped five shots in seven holes before play was halted -- and that is what left him unhappy.

"I thought it was pretty ridiculous," said McDowell. "I couldn't understand why, when they called it off, I really didn't feel like the wind was blowing much harder than when we teed it up.

"The course set-up was all right. I feel a bit hard done by being on the toughest nine in the toughest conditions," he added. "When they called play I was a bit like 'What's going on here -- it doesn't feel much tougher than it was two hours ago?'

"I played myself out of the tournament and I feel like I could jeopardize the next couple of weeks if I don't rest up."

Play was halted just before 10:00 a.m. after Edfors had a ball blown six inches by the wind on the second green. The gusts were over 30 mph, there was heavy rain as well at the time and with forecasts of a worsening situation all 73 players were brought in.

With Padraig Harrington missing the cut and McDowell out as well, Irish hopes were left resting on Lowry's burly shoulders.

That was because Darren Clarke fell back to 4 under, McIlroy to 3, Gary Murphy to 2, Damien McGrane to 1 and Paul McGinley to level.

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