Lowry Remains Keen To Paint The Town A Glowing Valspar Victory Red

6 months ago by Comments Off on Lowry Remains Keen To Paint The Town A Glowing Valspar Victory Red

Forget a stalled inward half as Shane Lowry remains ever-keen to paint the town a glowing Valspar victory red.

The soon-to-be 38-year-old Lowry kick-started his day by superbly racing into the lead with six birdies in his opening seven holes before two bogeys over his inward half checked his progress in posting a five-under par 67 for a four-under tally in the second round of the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead course at the Innisbrook Resort near Tampa in western Florida.

The proud Irishman played the opening nine holes in just 29 strokes but the homeward half in 38 as the afternoon half of the field were talking to the course.

He headed to a well-earned lunch then as the clubhouse leader but moments before being joined on four-under by a clearly rejuvenated 2023 winning Ryder Cup team-mate in Viktor Hovland, who also signed for a 67.

“I just got it going. I got some nice numbers and then hit some good shots, and when I hit good shots I converted the putts,” said Lowry.

“I played that nine holes pretty flawlessly, didn’t really miss many shots. When I did, I played the 18th pretty average and got it up-and-down for par.

“So yeah, unfortunately, I wasn’t as good on the other nine, but I think 4-under on a day like today, if you had given me that in the locker room this morning I would have taken it.”

Lowry led the strokes gained off the tee ranking in the opening round and is ranked 8th overall in that category. After a tinkering with a new driver at Bay Hill a few weeks ago he now feels comfortable again with the big stick.

“My driver that I’ve been using for a couple of months, I think something happened to it”, he said.

“And I got one the Tuesday at Bay Hill. I struggled at Bay Hill because I just wasn’t overly happy with — it’s an uncomfortable golf course with driver, even if you’re driving the ball really well.

“So I had a new one in play, and just some of the tee shots are quite tough. So, no, but the last two weeks have been well, I drove it very well last week at The Players and drove it well yesterday and today as well.”

Of course, it was at Royal Portrush in 2019 when Lowry won a first ‘individual’ PGA Tour sanctioned event but that was not the scene of his last victory as he captured the DP World Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship in 2022.

Though with The Masters soon upon us, Lowry’s name has been appearing often on a tournament leaderboard including second behind fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy, seventh in Arnies event and then last week he was an early contender in the Tour’s flagship Players Championship.

“Another late tee time on Saturday”, Lowry said smiling before heading off to lunch.

“The weather is getting a bit better this afternoon so somebody might get away this afternoon but I think I will be late enough tomorrow and with two good days I can be dangerous.”

 



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