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 circumstances. 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 saved a clear scorecard, too.

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

“I’m very completely happy. I went on the market—fortunate I watched a number of golf this morning and noticed that the golf course was not enjoying straightforward,” Lowry mentioned.

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

The Irishman had 25 putts after the primary spherical, tied for first among the many area. 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 closing 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 once I come again from enjoying a season on the PGA Tour with the velocity of the greens,” Lowry mentioned.

“I bought right here, and I performed a few observe rounds right here, and I used to be actually proud of how my velocity was… I wasn’t struggling to get the ball to the outlet as a result of typically I will be like that. My velocity management was superb, and I noticed my strains nice. I really feel like hyperlinks greens while you begin to see your strains, the outlet feels fairly huge, so it felt like that at this time, and lengthy could it proceed.”

This 66 marks his lowest first-round rating in a serious championship. In 2019, at Royal Portrush, Lowry shot a 67 that first day. Whereas he was proud of the rating, the 37-year-old stayed lifelike.

“It’s solely in the future. We’ve bought three extra days,” Lowry mentioned.

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

Picture by Pedro Salado/Getty Photographs

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

So, it seems the Irishman will maintain 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 may permit him to get after it.

The circumstances will likely be comparable at The Open for Friday’s spherical, too.

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

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 Enjoying Via. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You can too comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.