Lowry shoots up leaderboard with stunning 63 at East Lake

Shane Lowry made birdies at 10, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 18 to reset himself for the weekend, now tied with Rory McIlroy inside the top six and six behind Tommy Fleetwood’s 13-under lead.

Shane Lowry hits from the first fairway. Pic: AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Sometimes all it takes to go forward is to back off just a little bit. That mindset certainly worked for Shane Lowry on Friday at East Lake Golf Club.

Languishing near the bottom of the 30-man field and struggling to get anything going on the front nine while everyone else seemed to be collecting birdies on the continually rain-softened course, Lowry got a little pep talk advice from caddie Darren Reynolds on the ninth tee that kick-started a back-nine 29 and a 7-under 63.