Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry's wild Thursday ride let him down after a 1-over opening round at the Masters, saying it was the worst he could consider.

“Missed the fairway on the first and besides that I was pretty much down the middle of every fairway going a long way there and couldn’t put myself in a position to score well. Lowry erased a slow start to his seventh Masters with an eagle-birdie combination at numbers 13 and 14, coming into the raid for the first time, only to lay it on par-5 15th after a sloppy double bogey. was terrible.”

The 86th edition of the Masters Tournament tees off today at the Augusta National in Georgia. Ireland have four representatives.

The 50-year-old's return to the Masters was made possible by his tied 4th in last year’s PGA Championship. The three-time major winner looked ahead to the Masters after he finished runner-up, "I’m not going there to make up the numbers. The 32-year-old comes into the first major of 2022 ranked ninth in the world. The 35-year-old is arguably the most in-form of the Irish golfers having finished second in February’s Honda Classic. He tied for second at the Rapiscan Systems Classic earlier this month. The world number 35 can have a great weekend if he utilises his world-class short game on the Augusta golf course.

Lowry almost aces the fourth hole but double-bogey on 15th proves costly.

Lowry – who missed four greens with wedge approaches, and another two with an 8-iron and a 9-iron – headed to the range post-round to work on that area of his game. “I missed the fairway on the first and other than that I was pretty much down the middle. I put myself in position to have a good score and my approach play was pretty awful to be honest. “You hit good shots, and you think, ‘oh, that’s pretty easy’, and you hit a bad shot and get out of position, and you are going, ‘oh, my God, how could they put the pin there?’ If you are in position, it’s nice. In Shane Lowry’s case, an opening round of 73, one over par, was something of a roller-coaster ride. However, things started to unravel with a bogey on the 12th, where he hit his tee shot into a back bunker.

On the 15th, with 'the hard stuff' behind him at the Masters, Shane Lowry was set fair to put himself on the upper reaches of the leaderboard.

After splashing out of a bunker at the rear of the green to three feet he inexplicably missed for par. He’s four years older than Jack Nicklaus was when he rolled back the years at 46 to win for a sixth time in 1986. ‘I didn’t commit to the line,’ he acknowledged. ‘It was a good shot and I was lucky to make par.’ Moments earlier, the Dubliner took off his weather-proof top, hitched up his trousers, and executed a series of vigorous practice swings with his driver. It was the wrong club for a start and a bad shot. It literally slam dunked into the hole and didn’t make a mark,’ he said. Some four and three-quarter hours later, Harrington shook hands with his playing partners Mike Weir and amateur Austin Greaser after a trio of 74s, two over par. At the 220-yard fourth, his ball pitched into the cup on the full, only to rebound out. He was under par and inside the top ten on day one. ‘It was just a bit of a disaster. ‘One over is not a bad score but my approach play was pretty awful to be honest.

Shane Lowry tried to look on the bright side after a poor day with his short irons left him six shots behind early pace-setter Sungjae Im in the Masters.

So I wasn’t quite my day around the greens but hopefully I can get after it tomorrow. I need to look at the positives “ “On the fourth hole it pitched in the hole and bounced off the green but 15 was just an error on my part. For the day, to end up in the red, I’m right where I need to be.” “As the round built, I was able to get into the red. “I am a bit disappointed with it but I will pick myself up and go out again tomorrow.

Shane Lowry says he's disappointed after carding an opening round of 73 at The Masters. It leaves him six shots off the pace being set by Sungjae Im at Augusta.

It was one of those where I should have been hitting -- worst case it should have been where my fifth shot ended up just over the back. Even if I had a good shot with that club, I think it would have spun in the water. It pitched in the hole. Maybe I was trying to be maybe a bit precise on my approach shots. It pitched in the hole and didn't make a mark. Whatever. 15 was just a bit of a disaster, to be honest. It is what it is. It literally slammed into the hole. Yeah, it is what it is. Yeah, the wind is swirling. I don't think people realize how hard it is out there. Tom is going a bit and having a great round.

The Irish contingent is comprised of first timer Seamus Power, Open winner Shane Lowry, multiple major winner Rory McIlroy and Ryder Cup Captain Padraig ...

McIlroy has spoken in the past about his failed efforts at the Masters over the years. Also speaking to RTE Sport ahead of the four day tournament Harrington was in positive spirits Coming off the back of that experience will have lit a fire under Harrington. Lowry Currently sits at 35th in the World Rankings after a brilliant season that included him finishing second at the Honda Classic. This season alone he has shot himself up the world rankings to 41st with some brilliant play. The tournament also has a hefty prize pool of $11,500,000.

The 2022 US Masters enters day two on Friday, with the four Irish representatives hoping to build on their opening round at Augusta.

I got really punished for the bad shots.” It’s easy to stand here and be disappointed with how that finished [double bogey at 15]. Lowry will be the last of the Irish to take to the course on Friday, coming out at 6.08pm Irish time alongside Kevin Na and Max Homa, Power will be the first of the Irish out at 2.06pm, followed by McIlroy at 3.45pm Harrington at 4.18pm. The leader Im will be out at 2.39pm, while the Tiger Woods-watchers on these shores will have to wait until 6.41pm to see their hero in action. “With the forecast for Friday and Saturday, the course will dry out and that will make it tricky.

Irish pro golfer and Offaly native Shane Lowry returned for the 86th edition of Masters tournament. The sportsman will be joined by peers Padraig Harrington ...

The lovebirds have a four-year-old daughter named Iris and a daughter named Ivy. In 2021 he tied fourth at the PGA Championship (the second Major of the season) and was eighth at the Players’ Championship. Lowry won for the first time as a professional in 2012 and made history at the Portugal Masters. He ranked at No. 168 amateurs entering the Official World Golf Ranking and No. 6 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He won the 2007 Irish Amateur Close Championship at the age of 20. Shane Lowry is originally from Clara, Co Offaly, and splits his time between Ireland and the US.

Seamus Power will be the first of the Irish contingent teeing off on Friday as he starts his second round at 2.06pm Irish time.

1713 Stewart Cink (US), Brian Harman (US), Harry Higgs (US) 1512 Billy Horschel (US), Dustin Johnson (US), Collin Morikawa (US) Like McIlroy, Lowry is one-under and six shots off the lead.