Birdie run gives Lowry day one lead at DP World India C’ship

Shane Lowry of Ireland plays out of a tricky lie on his way into the day one lead of the $4 million DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club on Thursday. Image courtesy DPWIC.

By Rahul Banerji

Shane Lowry went on a birdie blitz on the back nine including five in a row to lead the $4 million DP World India Championship by one stroke at the Delhi Golf Club on Thursday.

Clubbed with Ryder Cup team mate Tommy Fleetwood and captain Luke Donald for the first two rounds, the burly Irishman returned a bogey-free 8 under par 64.

Indian Open 2024 winner Keita Nakajima of Japan led for much of the day till Lowry, playing in the afternoon wave, birdied the 18th hole despite a wayward drive to take over at the top of the leaderboard.

Casey Jarvis was sole third behind Lowry and Nakajima on 6 under 66, the South African’s clean round also picking up pace on the back nine with five birdies between holes 12 and 18.

Rahil Gangjee was another to post a notable number on 18 with a closing eagle to be the best-placed Indian at tied fourth place on 5 under 67.

“I’ve played here a thousand times, so I’m not shocked the way I played today but considering my recent form I wasn’t expecting it,” Gangjee said.

“I’ve been a little too serious over the last eight months I feel. I had not been having fun. 

Lighter side

“So since last week when I played at home in Bangalore, my caddie and I have just been trying to have some fun. We take this game too seriously.”

Dhruv Sheoran also had an eagle in his 68 to be in a share of seventh place alongside Donald, Fleetwood and 2023 Open champion Brian Harman of the US. 

Anirban Lahiri had a mixed round but did enough to return a 2 under 70. “I didn’t hit it very good, was fighting it left, also missed a few putts,” he noted. 

“All in all I’m happy with the way that I finished in the sense I shot 2-under. But I’m going to go to the range and sort some things out.”

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy overcame a rocky start and a late bogey as well to post a 3 under 69 along with PGTI Order of Merit leader Yuvraj Sandhu and eight others. 

Lowry earned his first birdie on the par-3 fifth hole and followed up with another on hole six. It was after the turn that his round really caught fire and he went racing up the leaderboard.

“I feel like this type of golf course suits me,” the 2019 Open champion said later. 

Making good

“I spend half the year moaning about golf courses that are too wide, so when I get to somewhere like here, I need to take advantage of that.

“I did that today and hopefully I can keep doing that for the rest of the week.

“When I saw the draw, I was really happy. Being with the lads, we’ve had some good things happen the last few weeks. It was nice.

Rahil Gangjee hugs his caddie C.G. Somiah on the 18th green after holing a 55-foot eagle putt to be the best-placed Indian at the DP World India Championship on Thursday. Image courtesy DPWIC.

“I haven’t played with Luke (Donald) that much in tournaments but obviously I know him pretty well and we all fed off each other and it was nice.”

In the morning, Nakajima made full use of the softer conditions to card eight birdies, four in a row after the turn, against one dropped shot. He held the lead till almost day’s end when Lowry passed him.

“I play well in India. I don’t know what it is about this golf course, but when I come to India, my golf gets better,” the Japanese star said.

“Today was a pretty solid day. I made eight birdies on this golf course, and I’m happy with that.”

Tricky locations

Added McIlroy, “I thought some of the hole locations early on were really tricky. The course definitely played a little tougher than I expected it to today.”

He however, ruled out a change in his approach over the next three days.

“I think it’s similar strategy to what I did today, especially off the tee. You just have to get the ball in the fairway. The rough is unpredictable. 

“The greens are so grainy that uphill putts are very slow, but then if you get it above the hole, the downhill putts with the downgrain get very, very quick, so leaving yourself below the hole is pretty important, as well.”

For Gurgaon-based Sheoran, the day was a fantasy come true. “It’s something I have dreamt a lot of times, watching Rory, Tommy on TV and thinking one day that I want to be playing next to them.

“It’s a dream come true in a way. I couldn’t sleep at night thinking that I’m going to be alongside them, so it’s really surreal to be playing here.

“Early on I was pretty nervous, but after the first tee shot, I kept telling myself, like, stay in the moment, that kind of helped me get through the round.”

Also read: Ryder Cup teammates tee off together at DP World India C’ship