Shane Lowry took a share of the clubhouse lead halfway through the first round at the Phoenix Open but was still left wondering what might have been despite an opening six-under 65.
That left the Offaly golfer level with the in-form Rickie Fowler on six under at TPC Scottsdale, with Lowry carding eight birdies and two bogeys in his debut at the event.
Lowry had made it to seven under after 13 holes, but back to back bogeys slowed his momentum. Successful long-range putts had been the order of the day and he would claim a final birdie on the seventh – his third two on the short holes – before making par on his final two holes.
“To come out here and shoot a decent score in the first round I’m obviously fairly happy,” said Lowry, before outlining his battle plan for the remainder of the week.
“I just need to be more aggressive and less tentative when I get quite low on the day,” added Lowry.
“I was seven under there today and I probably should have kicked on. I made a couple of bad bogeys, but to shoot 65 was nice.”
Fowler bounced back from missing the cut at Torrey Pines last week to show the kind of form that saw him win in Abu Dhabi recently. The world number four had six birdies and an eagle, but like Lowry also suffered a pair of bogeys.
Meanwhile Paul Dunne will resume his opening round on Friday after play was suspended due to darkness after he had completed 13 holes.
The Greystones golfer currently sits at one under after a solid start to his round which saw him pick up two shots and drop just one.
Pádraig Harrington however endured a frustrating opening day, signing for a three over par round of 74.
