Shane Lowry fails to take advantage of early start at Players Championship

Lowry was in that first pairing on Saturday morning. But instead of the 2019 Open champion taking advantage of the circumstances, it was the first alternate who got in the field at the last minute who caught the winds just right and sailed up the board.

RISE AND SHINE: Shane Lowry failed to take advantage of his early start at Players Championship on Saturday. Pic: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images.

Saturday morning provided a tantalising opportunity for the first group out on the course at 8:25 am local time.

There was a window of relatively benign breezes on most of the front nine before the heavier wind and gusts would kick up and haunt the field on the perilous TPC Sawgrass for the rest of the day.