Ireland’s Shane Lowry confessed on the eve of the WGC – Cadillac Championship he would be in tears if anything happened to the driver he used to capture last year’s WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.

Well he must have gone close to crying after a ball skewed horribly off the club face of the driver while working on his long-game on the eve of the $US 9.5m event at Trump Doral.

“I was on the range yesterday and a ball just skewed straight left so I knew straight away there must be something wrong with the clubface, and here’s this hairline crack running across the face of the driver,” he said.

Shane Lowry competing in last year’s US Open with the same driver that he’s had to replace heading into the first round of the 2016 WGC – Cadillac Championship. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

“I’ve had the driver for a few years and it’s the one that brought me victory last year in the Bridgestone so it’s been a very special driver.

“Fortunately, I had a back-up driver and that performed superbly so I feel very lucky.”

Lowry was speaking after posting a one under par 71 that left him trailing five shots behind the leading duo of Australia’s Marcus Fraser and American Scott Piercy, and after both players had moved to seven under par but then bogeyed their 18th.

Lowry capped his round eagling the par five 10th hole along with posting two other birdies.

“A 71 is a great start on what is not an easy golf course, so it’s a score I can now build on,” he said.

“I was quite comfortable with my iron play as I hit two beautiful iron shots over my closing two holes, and while it was a new driver, I just got up there on 17 and 18 and hit it really hard.

“And the eagle at 10 was another great drive, taking on the corner there, so I felt very comfortable.

“So I’m pretty happy given I didn’t hole that many putts once on the greens but overall looking forward very much to the next three days.”