On Wednesday evening, Shane Lowry held a light-hearted question and answer session with his golf equipment sponsors in Troon, for social media.
Lowry was clearly relaxed, saying he always carried eight tees in his pocket before playing, that he had Michael Jordan’s phone number and that he enjoyed playing golf with his father Brendan and brother Alan in Augusta.
When asked what he would be if he weren’t a professional golfer, Lowry paused.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry reacts on the 14th green on the opening day of the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the southwest coast of Scotland on July 18, 2024. Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty
“My team and my coaches think I’ll always be a detective. I don’t miss anything! I’d try,” he smiled.
When Lowry left yesterday just before 3pm he already knew what the situation was on the first day of the Open.
Three under par was Justin Thomas’ target in the clubhouse, while a number of contenders, including Rory McIlroy, struggled.
The wind shifting to the south presented another challenge, but that was no problem for him. Rather, it was to his advantage, as he had experienced here during a recent reconnaissance.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts after finishing on the 18th green on day one of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 18, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. Photo: Stuart Franklin/R&A via Getty Images
The sky was grey, the temperatures cool, again, not unusual for someone who had grown up with Irish weather.
Lowry’s stats this year on the PGA Tour show he is in top form with his driver and approach shots to the green.
What kept him from returning to the winner’s fence was a cold putter. After a recent improvement, he put it in yesterday. The heat was scorching.
From the moment he hammered home a seven-footer for par on the opening hole after finding a bunker off the tee, Lowry had a magic wand in his hand. Not even Harry Potter would have dared to challenge him.
On greens whose contours have confused so many, Lowry was like Merlin. Simply magical. He made more than 40 yards of putts, some for pars but more for birdies.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green on the opening day of the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the southwest coast of Scotland on July 18, 2024. Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP
Three of those were scored on the front nine, equaling Thomas’ final score of 33.
Lowry birdied from nine feet at the long fourth hole, birdied from eleven feet at the seventh hole, followed by a deuce from nine feet at the Postage Stamp, where others, including McIlroy, were out of step.
Suddenly Thomas, the two-time US PGA champion, had company at three under par after leading by himself for seven hours.
On the ninth, Lowry came close, hitting a seven-footer for par. He looked not dissimilar to Portrush five years ago.
And they kept coming. He extended his streak of single putts to six holes in a row, saving par from distance on the 10th, birdiing the Railway and saving himself from just under four paces on the tough 12th.
The ball cooled slightly towards the end of the course, as Lowry gave himself a fair few birdie chances on 15, 16 and 17 before taking his approach to 18 and calmly slotting home a five-footer for a five-under-par 66.
Open Champion Shane Lowry of Ireland celebrates with the Claret Jug on the 18th green during the final round of the 148th Open Championship held at the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, United Kingdom on July 21, 2019. Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
It was his lowest opening round in the Open and a clear signal of his intention to build on his 2019 triumph in Portrush.
Pádraig Harrington, the only other Irish Open winner, used all his skill to keep his round intact and posted a score of 72.
A bogey-bogey start might have disappointed others with less knowledge, but Harrington didn’t flinch.
He won his Opens in windy weather, with a sprinkle of rain, so Troon was no pest, although the force of the wind, especially on the first nine holes, sometimes even surprised him.
“I had chances. I hit a lot of nice shots and put myself in great positions until the finish. I’m just a little disappointed with the score at the end.
‘I had a par in three putts on the 16th hole and the putt on the 18th hole looked like it was going to fall into the water.’
Padraig Harrington of Ireland catches his golf ball on the driving range during a practice round ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 13, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
‘At my age, scoring 63 may seem difficult; scoring 68 or 69 isn’t as intimidating.
“There’s going to be a few people scratching their heads. It’s links golf. It was a strange day. I’d settle for these conditions for the rest of the week.”
Tom McKibbins dawn patrol finished with a 72, including a prestige two on the Postage Stamp. On his Open debut it was a decent score that put him closer to first than last.
McKibbin regretted his decision to try to carry the burn on the par-five 16th, which led to a bogey. He will take that experience, and more, into today’s battle as he looks to make it through the weekend.
Darren Clarke (77) still has more to do but the 2011 champion shone on the links at the Postage Stamp, spinning his ball to within three centimetres of the cup.
On the same hole, McIlroy failed with a five. Instead, it was ‘Detective Lowry’ who cracked the Troon code.
Robert MacIntyre felt his game was near perfect despite struggling on the putting greens.
Robert MacIntyre of Scotland looks across the 12th green on day one of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 18, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. Photo: Stuart Franklin/R&A via Getty Images
The home-grown favourite came into the event in high spirits following his win at last week’s Scottish Open but had to settle for a one-over-par 72 in difficult conditions on day one in Ayrshire.
“I thought it was almost perfect,” said the 27-year-old from Oban, who delayed his arrival in Troon after partying into the night following Sunday’s victory at the Renaissance Club.
“The putter didn’t show up today, but I absolutely loved the tee-to-green, especially that front nine, with the wind coming from the right. It wasn’t comfortable at all.
“Of course the preparation wasn’t great, but that’s besides the point,” he continued.
“I thought we prepared well on Tuesday and Wednesday. Given the conditions, the way I swing the golf club, the way I move the ball through the air and the way I deal with the wind, it was almost perfect.”
