The Open: Shane Lowry’s scorching sizzling putter results in profession first

Shane Lowry appeared unbeatable at Royal Troon on Thursday on the Open Championship.

The 2019 Open Champion carded a bogey-free, 5-under 66 in brutal situations. He trails Daniel Brown, who fired off a bogey-free 6-under 65, by one shot as he sits in solo second.

Solely 17 gamers fired under-par scores throughout the first spherical, a testomony to the 25-mile-per-hour winds that blew throughout Royal Troon. Only a few gamers stored a clear scorecard, too.

However Lowry’s preparation for this event is why he’s in direction of the highest of the leaderboard after day one. He performed many apply rounds early and took benefit of his later tee time.

“I’m very glad. I went on the market—fortunate I watched a variety of golf this morning and noticed that the golf course was not taking part in simple,” Lowry stated.

“I attempted to exit, play my sport, hit some good pictures, and gap a number of putts. I did that, and I’m fairly glad.”

The Irishman had 25 putts after the primary spherical, tied for first among the many discipline. He made three birdies in six holes on the entrance 9 to show in 33 pictures, a 3-under par rating.

Lowry made one other par-breaker on the eleventh, and his last birdie got here on the 18th.

He defined {that a} journey to Royal Troon two weeks in the past helped him modify to those greens.

“Generally I battle after I come again from taking part in a season on the PGA Tour with the pace of the greens,” Lowry stated.

“I bought right here, and I performed a few apply rounds right here, and I used to be actually pleased with how my pace was… I wasn’t struggling to get the ball to the opening as a result of generally I could be like that. My pace management was excellent, and I noticed my strains nice. I really feel like hyperlinks greens while you begin to see your strains, the opening feels fairly massive, so it felt like that right this moment, and lengthy might it proceed.”

This 66 marks his lowest first-round rating in a significant championship. In 2019, at Royal Portrush, Lowry shot a 67 that first day. Whereas he was pleased with the rating, the 37-year-old stayed real looking.

“It’s solely sooner or later. We’ve bought three extra days,” Lowry stated.

“I stored telling myself that on the market as a result of, for some purpose, I felt like the gang was getting very excited. They had been fairly excitable, and it felt extra just like the weekend. I stored telling myself there’s much more to do, and there’s a number of days left, so I stayed in my lane and hit some good pictures, and I used to be fairly pleased with how I dealt with myself.”

Photograph by Pedro Salado/Getty Photos

Lowry stated he would give something to win this event once more however doesn’t wish to look forward. This primary-round rating will imply nothing if he doesn’t play properly within the subsequent three days.

So, it seems the Irishman will hold himself grounded, as 54 holes stay Usually, Lowry likes to have an early spherical on Thursday and a late one on Friday, however he has the other this week. It’s a fast turnaround that can permit him to get after it.

The situations will likely be related at The Open for Friday’s spherical, too.

“If they’re, it’s not going to be simple, and pars are going to be good. That’s sort of the sport plan,” Lowry stated.

Lowry tees off at 4:47 a.m. ET for the second spherical with Cameron Smith and Matt Fitzpatrick. He seems to construct off this 66 and vie for his second Claret Jug.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.