'I Feel The Way I'm Playing, I am In The Tournament' - Shane Lowry

Photo Credit: twitter/shanelowry

He's been speaking following his opening round at Kiawah Island.

Shane Lowry is among the early starters on day two of the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. 

He is on the tee from 1.45pm this afternoon Irish time.

The Open Champion had a very steady opening round until a double bogey on 17 left him one over par for the day. 

Speaking about that hole, here's what The Open Champion had to say:

Yeah, I hit it left and it kind of pitched six inches over the bunker, and I don't know whether it was sand blowing out of the bunker by the wind, kind of plugged there.

I didn't know where to stand, I didn't know where to hit it. I was thinking of taking the penalty shot. I thought the bunker shot was easier, then I hit it in the bunker and I hit it on the part of the bunker where there was no sand in it and I hit a bad bunker shot. It was a bit of -- yeah, it wasn't the best break I've ever got, but I suppose if I made 4 on 17 and had to par the last, I would have been like, oh, 1-over isn't that bad.

To birdie the last and play the last two in 1-over was okay. I just need to go out tomorrow and do the same thing. If I hole a few putts I can be right there on the weekend.

On his play overall, Lowry seemed reasonably pleased:

I played great today. My putter let me down big time. I felt like I had four great chances or I had four putts inside 10 feet on 6, 7, 8, 9. You hole a couple of those and you turn in a couple under, but I turn in -- I just kind of grinded it out all day, and I was hitting good shot after good shot after good shot. I pulled my tee shot on 17, but where else are you going to hit it? You're not going to hit it right.

I got a really, really bad break there. That was disappointing.

But I'm very happy the way I finished. I was very happy to bounce back from that double, with a birdie on the last especially. A hole like the last hole is not that easy, driver, 4-iron and holed the putt. It's really nice, going to make dinner taste a little bit nicer tonight.

But it's kind of one of those rounds where I probably should have shot a couple under anyway, and I should be right in the tournament.

But I feel like the way I'm playing I am in the tournament, so yeah.

Elsewhere Padraig Harrington is the best of the Irish trio. 

The European Ryder Cup captain made an eagle on the 11th hole en route to a 1 under par round of 71. 

Rory McIlroy will need a big turnaround if he's to live up to his billing as favourite.

He's started with a 3-over-par round of 75.

Canadian Corey Conners is the early leader on 5-under-par.

 

 

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