Shane Lowry frustrated after late slip-up at Akron
Lowry was just a shot from the lead heading to his 17th before ending three shots behind clubhouse leader Rickie Fowler who carded a three-under-par 67 and less than a week after grabbing second place in last week’s Quicken Loans Open.
Graeme McDowell set about ending an indifferent season to be leading late on the opening day of the WGC–Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.
McDowell burst from the blocks with four birdies in his opening seven holes in ideal conditions on the Firestone County Club course and remained near the top of the board after firing an impressive 66 in the no-cut, 77-player event.
The current World No. 60 is coming off missing the cut in last fortnight’s RBC Canadian Open and also a 49th place result in the proceeding week’s Open Championship.
Lowry was on the practice putting green despite recording a respectable 29 putts in his ninth round of the Firestone Country Club layout.
“I actually made the course look easy today and apart from the last hole, I hit the ball the best I’ve hit it for a long while,” said Lowry.
“So I am actually quite disappointed with that score as I also putted poorly and I will work on that aspect of my game this afternoon.
“I know that if I can get my putting sorted out I can do something really well these next two weeks.
“I haven’t dabbled in changing putters, so I am just sticking with the same one but in saying that it’s always about seeing the ball going in the hole.
“The sad thing out there today was that I was sand wedges into several of the holes, a lob-wedge into 11, a 9-iron into 13, a sand iron into 14, 16 and 17, and also the last so I am giving myself so many chances.”
“So while level I guess it’s a good score, if someone was to go out there and shoot five under then that would be a great score.”
Meanwhile Rory McIlroy has continued to fuel speculation about his return to action by posting a video of himself driving a ball.
Accompanied with the message, “Feels good to hit the driver again!”, McIlroy shared a short clip on his Instagram account of him playing from a tee.
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