Lowry storms into two-shot lead

Ireland’s Shane Lowry equalled one of Nick Faldo’s records with a sizzling eight-under-par 62 at Sunningdale Old in the first round of Open Championship qualifying today.

Only one under par at the turn, the 23-year-old – who won last year’s Irish Open as an amateur – started for home with six successive birdies.

Lowry, chasing one of 10 spots on offer at St Andrews, then pitched to 18 inches on the 425-yard 17th and, with a closing par, matched Faldo’s round during the 1986 European Open, the joint lowest score of his European Tour career.

“I’ve been struggling on the greens and confidence was a bit low, so I changed my putter this morning,” commented Lowry. “After nine holes I said to my caddie I’m going to have to be patient and then a nice 20-footer at 10 kicked me off.”

He also had a 62 during his victory at County Louth 13 months ago.

The performance gave Lowry a two-shot halfway lead over 17-year-old Matteo Manassero, one of the stars of last year’s Open.

The young Italian star, now a month into his professional career, finished in a tie for 13th at Turnberry as the reigning British amateur champion and at The Masters in April came joint 36th – the best finish by a European amateur at Augusta for 73 years.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was among the later starters and was three under at the turn on the same course while, over on the adjoining New, South African James Kingston was setting the pace after a five-under 65.

Liverpool’s Nick Dougherty, though, had to come home in 30 for a 71 after back-to-back triple bogey sevens, the second of them coming after he putted back into a bunker where he had already taken two shots.

Montgomerie failed to build on his start and, even with a birdie on the last, signed for a one under 69. It left him probably needing no worse than a 65 on the New, the tougher of the two tests, to have a chance.