Lowry upstages Woods in Shanghai
Lowry recorded his equal lowest starting score since turning pro with a haul of seven birdies in a six-under par 66 to finish two shots adrift of American Nick Watney who carded an eight under par 64 in superb scoring conditions on the Sheshan course.
Lowry shares second with Germany’s Martin Kaymer and American Ryan Moore with Tiger Woods and England’s Paul Casey among four players at five under par.
Chinese fans turned out in record numbers bringing with them their cameras and mobile phones, and in the process, driving Woods and his two players to distraction around the Sheshan course.
There was no such nuisance for Lowry who birdied his second and third holes where he hit a 109-yard wedge shot to five feet before three birdies in succession from the eighth hole with the best being a 7-iron, from 150-yards out at the 10th hole, to just 12 inches.
He bogeyed the 15th after finding rough with the drive but made amends in putting a 72-yard lob-wedge to 18 inches at the 16th and then landing a 132-yard wedge shot to six-feet for birdie at the last.
“I played really well for about 11 or 12 holes but I struggled a bit towards the end but to have just one bogey along with a good few birdies is very pleasing,” he said.
“I holed a lot of putts today, and it’s not that I holed anything outrageous but I just didn’t miss any short ones.
“I have been well for a while and this score is not surprise to me even though it might be a surprise to others.
“It’s nice also, and it gives you a good feeling when you see your name up there on the leaderboard and on top of Tiger but then it’s a four-round tournament and still a long way to go.
“But overall today is a nice reward for all the hard work I have put in over the past few months.”
In contrast to Lowry’s lofty position, Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington struggled with respective rounds of 73 and 73.
McIlroy posted a pair of uncharacteristic double bogeys on his card while Harrington was heading straight for the practice putting green following his round of three birdies but also five dropped shots.
“I just kept misreading the greens as I missed seven short putts” said Harrington. “I would have loved to have shot a low one but there you go. What’s amazing is that they were all left-to-right putts, so you know where I am heading now.
“I don’t know why I didn’t read them right, so who knows why it happens, and I hope that’s my poor round for the week.”
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