Lowry feels he’s in right place for a good weekend
SHANE Lowry is adamant he’s right ‘where I want to be’ heading into the weekend at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Even a closing bogey six didn’t dampen Lowry’s liking for the Yas Links lay-out, or his position on the heels of the co-leaders, Italians Francesco Molinari and Guido Migliozzi.
The 2019 Open champion sank an 11-footer on the final green to avoid an ugly finish after finding bunkers twice on the monster 646-yarder.
‘It was a nice putt to hole,’ he admitted as he signed for a 70, to stand on seven under par.
‘I’m only three back going into the weekend. That’s where I want to be.’
Even though he was out later in the day when it became windy, Lowry reckoned he ‘missed a lot of chances and also missed a few short putts. It was tricky out there, the greens were getting shiny.’
Lowry feels the firm and fast fairways, coupled with breezy conditions are tailor-made for a move into contention and getting his year off to a flying start.
Seamus Power and Padraig Harrington both slipped back a little as they each carded one-over-par 73s.
Power mixed three birdies with three bogeys through 15 holes before getting caught out on the 18th, as Lowry did, where he also found the sand twice to finish on five under.
Starting out on four under, Harrington was rocked by an opening double bogey on the 10th, but bounced back with a couple of quick birdies. He then gave up shots on the third and sixth before availing of the downwind par-five seventh for a welcome birdie.
Tom McKibbin, 20, picked up three quickfire birdies to race to three under par through seven holes, and was still on that mark through the 16th after nine straight pars when bad light halted play.
He’s one shot inside the projected cut mark of two under par.