Ireland’s Shane Lowry singled out what he described as an ‘emergency’ call to his coach as leading to setting a new back nine course record on day one of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.
Lowry also posted his equal lowest 2015/16 PGA wraparound season score of a seven-under par 65 to head to lunch trailing two shots off the clubhouse lead set by World No. 1 Jason Day.
Day’s score matched the course record set by boyhood hero Greg Norman and established by the Great White Shark on route to victory in 1994.
However at the end of the round Day still led by two shots and with Lowry enjoying a five-way tie in second place.
Lowry was level par after nine holes on the Pete Dye designed Stadium course in holing a 13-foot birdie putt at the second but then dropping a shot after finding a fairway bunker at the sixth.
Shane Lowry shoots a new record of 29 on the back nine at TPC Sawgrass.
However, Lowry then cut a swath through the morning half of the field competing in the $US 10.5m event with a blistering inward half of a seven under par 29.
It is the lowest inward nine TPC Sawgrass score since the Players Championship was first staged on the course in 1982
Included in Lowry’s storming finish was a 25-foot putt for eagle from well short of the green at the par five 11th hole along with five other birdies.
A hole earlier, the newly-engaged Lowry rolled-in a 35-footer for birdie along with a six-footer at the 13th before sinking a two-footer at 15.
At the infamous island-green 17th, Lowry was just 10 feet from the cup for an easy putt and ahead of draining a superb 12-footer from below the flagstick at the last.
Lowry’s five birdies over the back nine amounted to just 56-feet.
And Lowry then attributed a ‘pep’ talk from coach, Neil Manchin as instrumental in getting back into a positive frame.
“Being honest I wasn’t very confident starting out today but then I made an emergency phone call this morning before teeing-up with coach as helpful,” he said.
“I just wanted to get some feelings off my chest as things haven’t been going well of late, and I just haven’t been feeling confident on the golf course.
“Neil just so to go out and play my own game and to take on some targets that was the best advice, and if doesn’t happen then it’s not the end of the world.
“That advice just seemed to work today.
“I started okay today but then got things going on the back nine and it has to be nice when you come home in 29.”
Twelve months ago Lowry had been ‘blanked’ by the PGA Tour in making his Players Championship debut.
It is customary all rookies to gather on the lawns in front of the Sawgrass clubhouse but someone forgot to afford Lowry an invitation.
Among those who were paraded at last year’s event by the Tour was England’s Danny Willett.
Tour officials did apologise before presenting him with a commemorative badge but Lowry then proceeded to miss the cut with rounds of 73 and 74.
However, he’s returned a year as the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational champion and a lot more confident in his own ability on golf’s greatest stage.
Lowry’s round is only the third occasion this PGA Tour season Lowry has broken 70 on day one that equalled an opening 65 on route to T6th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
And Ernie Els was all smiles in taking just 24 putts to be among a big group signing for six under par 66s.
It was just over a month ago the four-time Major winner posted a ‘9’, that included six putts, on the opening hole at Augusta National.
“I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with Pete Dye designed courses and this course has had its way with me for a long time,” said Els.
“So, it was nice to get one back on the course but we’ll have to wait and see how the relationship continues this week.”
