Shane Lowry feels proper at dwelling at PGA Nationwide, the positioning of this week’s Cognizant Traditional.
In 2021, the person from County Offaly completed in a tie for fifth. One 12 months later, he completed in solo second, one stroke behind fellow Ryder Cup teammate Sepp Straka.
This time round, Lowry sits at 13-under by way of 54 holes, holding a bit of the lead with Englishman David Skinns and American Austin Eckroat.
“It was fairly good,” Lowry stated of his third spherical 5-under 66.
“I began off very well and obtained myself proper into it and saved going. Hit some nice photographs once I wanted to.”
Lowry was on hearth out of the gate, birdieing three of his 4 holes to shortly get to 11-under par.
However the vital level in his spherical got here on the par-4 eighth, the place Lowry hooked his tee shot into the water.
After taking a drop, the Irishman confronted 141 yards for his third shot.
He caught it to inside 5 ft and calmly rolled it in for an unconventional but pivotal par.
“You already know while you exit on this golf course and this event that you simply’re going to face a little bit of adversity someplace, and I did just a little bit immediately, and I felt like I handled it fairly properly,” Lowry stated.
Later, on the par-4 thirteenth, Lowry missed a three-footer for par.
He couldn’t convert a terrific birdie alternative on the subsequent gap, lacking a putt from 12 ft.
His mood might have flared then, which might have compounded his errors.
“13 was very disappointing,” Lowry added.
“However I really feel like I used to be very happy with myself after that as a result of generally I can lose it just a little bit once I miss a brief putt like that, and I felt from there on in, I hit the ball very well and I putted fairly properly coming in. I used to be very pleased with how I reacted after that.”
Lowry responded admirably, enjoying his remaining 5 holes in 2-under par. He made birdies on the par-4 sixteenth and the par-5 18th to complete at 13-under.
He loves this golf course, regardless that it is among the more difficult programs PGA Tour gamers face all 12 months.
“I like enjoying powerful golf,” Lowry stated.
“I prefer it when every thing is on the road rather a lot on the market. You’re standing there over a variety of photographs on this golf course, rather a lot meaning rather a lot, as in a single unhealthy swing can result in a giant quantity.”
Rory McIlroy had one unhealthy swing Saturday, as ‘The Bear Entice’ bit him, particularly on the sixteenth. McIlroy made a multitude of issues there, making a triple bogey seven to drop him out of competition.
Lowry, in the meantime, didn’t undergo the identical destiny, as he seems to get his first PGA Tour victory since his triumph at The Open Championship in 2019.
“I’ve clearly performed fairly properly over the previous couple of days,” Lowry stated.
“I’ll take nothing with no consideration. I’ll put together as greatest I can within the morning, do the identical factor I’ve been doing all week, and go on the market and provides it myself, and if my greatest is nice sufficient [Sunday], that shall be superb. If not, we’ll be again to the drafting board on Monday.”
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
