Lowry pleased to see game "trending" and caddie clicking after fast start in Honda
SHANE LOWRY drives from the 13th during last year's US Open at Brookline. Picture: USGA
SHANE LOWRY was thrilled with his game and his burgeoning relationship with caddie Darren Reynolds after opening with a two-under 68 in the Honda Classic.
So impressive was his ball-striking, the 2019 Open champion might have blitzed PGA National’s Champion Course with a little more luck with the blade.
And after almost acing the 17th and picking up two late birdies, he was upbeat after recent ups and downs.
"I do like golf where if you break 70, you're pretty happy with yourself," Lowry said after a round that left him just three shots behind Billy Horschel and Joseph Bramlett, whose 65s gave them a one-shot lead over Pierceson Coody, Justin Suh and Carson Young (14 holes).
"I'm happy with two-under today. I didn't hole as many putts as I would have liked. I felt like I could have shot a couple better, but I'm happy all in all."
Lowry started by missing a four-footer for par at 10th and while he birdied the 13th and almost aced the 145-yard 17th, he struggled with the pace of the greens.
His patience was wearing thin after a bogey at the second, but he ripped a 172-yard approach to 10 feet at the sixth before slotting a 22-footer at the 232-yard seventh for two crucial late birdies.
"It was very tough," Lowry said of the greens after leaving several good chances short. "There's a lot more grass on them than I remember here. They're very grainy.
"It was hard when you're 20 feet and you don't want to leave yourself too many three, four, five-footers with a lot of grain around the hole. You're just trying to drop them in from 20 feet."
After splitting with caddie Brian "Bo" Martin in Dubai, he's pleased with new bagman Darren Reynolds and his improved form.
"Tee to green I was good," said Lowry, who bounced back from back-to-back missed cuts by finishing 14th at the Genesis Invitational. "Tee to green last week I was very good as well. So I'm pretty happy with the way my game is trending."
As for the new caddie, he said: "It's going well. Darren and I are getting on well. I like the way we're working. Obviously, our first week wasn't the best start, but things have been going well the last couple of weeks and long may it continue.”
As for his near ace at the 17th, it brought back memories of his hole-in-one at the 17th in the Players at TPC Sawgrass and he’s looking forward to getting there next month.
As close as you can get without going in.@ShaneLowryGolf scares the hole at No. 17. pic.twitter.com/ZQco7DGgkD
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 23, 2023
"Yeah, I hit a nice shot there today,” Lowry beamed. "I think it lipped out. I think it came very close. I was just happy the ball was on dry land, to be honest. Nice 2.”
Asked if 17 was his lucky number he said: "I hope so. Maybe I'm saving the one for Sawgrass in a couple of weeks."
Lowry was tied for 14th but two-time winner Pádraig Harrington was 82nd after making just one birdie in a two-over 72 alongside Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Zach Johnson.
At the DP World Tour's Hero Indian Open at punishing DLF Golf and Country Club, John Murphy was five-over through 17 holes and tied 83rd when play was suspended due to darkness.
He was 12 strokes behind Germany's Yannick Paul, who shot a seven-under 65 as Gary Hurley struggled to an eight-over 80.
On the Challenge Tour, which confirmed Headfort will host the Irish Challenge from July 27-30, there was low scoring in the Nelson Mandela Bay Championship at Humewood.
Sweden's Adam Blommé fired a nine-under 63 to lead South Africa's Pieter Moolman by a shot as Ruaidhri McGee carded a six-under 66 to share eighth.
Portmarnock's Conor Purcell continued his fine form and was 21st after a 67, while Paul Dunne's 70 left him just a shot outside the projected cut mark heading into the second round in his first start this year.
"It was perfect conditions this morning,” said Purcell, who is 10th in the Road to Mallorca standings after three top-10 finishes from four starts. "I think it's rare to get not much wind out here and everyone in our group at least capitalised on that and it was a good day.
"Visually it feels very linksy, around the greens not so much, but the bunkers are definitely links sand and very similar to home, so it's a bit more through the air. You're not really running balls as much but it's a good test. I think when the wind blows it will be a different beast.
"Again, my putting was very strong. But I'm actually feeling really uncomfortable over the ball. It's funny how the game works. Today was probably the worst I've felt and I was just staying patient and trying to hole putts when I gave myself chances. So yeah, putting was very good and hopefully we can continue."
In the South African Amateur Championship, Malone's Matthew McClean continued his build-up for the Masters when he beat Daniel Bennett 3&2 in the quarter-finals at Mount Edgecombe but fell 2&1 to Kyle De Beer in the semis.
