After a missed cut at the U.S. Open last week, Shane Lowry looked to put a poor start to the season behind him and a steady two-under-par first round at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands sees him five strokes off 18 hole leader Eric Cole.
Lowry parted ways with caddie Darren Reynolds after the disappointment at Shinnecock and returned to former bagman Dermot Byrne, who caddied for the first 10 years of Lowry’s career so it’s a change but one that Lowry knows well.
An early bogey came for Lowry at the par-4 second, after a miscalculated approach shot saw the 39-year-old short of the green. Known for his soft hands he then uncharacteristically chipped right across the green before scrambling in a five.
Lowry got a stroke back at the par-5 sixth to take him back to level-par after a 270 yard 3-wood from the middle of the fairway saw him greenside in two and the 2019 Open winner kept it even-par until the next par-5 came knocking at the 13th where the Offaly man made no mistake in making a four, taking on the greenside water hazard and chipping it in close for a tap-in birdie.
Two holes later, Lowry made another birdie at the short par-4 15th. A 267-yard drive saw him greenside before chipping it close once again for a tap-in four and he closed out the back nine with three more pars, posting a first round 68 to see him sit T32 after 18 holes.
First round leader Eric Cole is hoping to have a much better experience at TPC River Highlands this time around as 38-year-old posted a bogey-free 63 to lead the pack by one stroke. Cole suffers from Addison’s disease, meaning his body cannot produce enough hormones to handle stress and last year Cole had to pull out of the final round despite being just 10-strokes behind.
“I’m not sure if it’s redemption, but I’m happy to be here and feeling good,” Cole said.
Cole made two birdies on the front nine before finding incredible form on the back nine, making three birdies and an eagle to posted a seven-under-par round.
“We had really good conditions to start the day, limited wind, greens were pretty soft, so there were birdies to be made out there. I felt like I played solid and kept giving myself chances and a few of ’em went in, so that was nice,” said Cole.
Last weeks U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clarke joins Lowry in T32 on two-under-par. The now two-time major winner found the gallery much kinder this time around as his only mishap came at the 12th where he made triple bogey.
“I played really good. I mean, just really solid. I had one bad swing, made a triple, other than that we would be at 5-under and in a great spot… they (the fans) were finally rooting for me instead of against me, so we like the Connecticut fans,” said Clarke with a laugh.
There is a six-way tie for second place, among those six is world no.1 Scottie Scheffler who went bogey free on his way to posting a 64.
Scheffler didn’t let the fact that he was beltless get in the way of a good round.
“I’ve definitely forgotten stuff, but this was probably an all-time week to forget my belt,” he said.
Patrick Cantlay, who has yet to contend this year and missed the cut in the U.S. Open, opened with a 65. It was his lowest start to a tournament since the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
Only 11 players in the 72-man field failed to break par in the final signature event of the regular season on the PGA TOUR.
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