Putting on a textbook performance, Shane Lowry defied the odds at the Cognizant Classic, achieving a personal best of 63 at the PGA National and putting himself at the front of the pack.

With Lowry finishing the day's play at 13-under par for the tournament, it is remarkable that he is still on the cusp of victory.

"I've had a few chances to win this tournament, and hopefully I can convert it tomorrow," Lowry said, referring to the tournament on the Palm Beaches.

Sharing the lead with Austin Smotherman, Shane Lowry, at 13-under par, is now only one stroke off the lead, tied with Nico Echavarria and Taylor Moore.

The Open champion bowled through the front nine with five birdies and a remarkable 30, and finished the back nine with three more birdies. Furthermore, the back nine is usually regarded as the more difficult of the two.

Lowry's exceptional play stood out with his flat stick scoring and needing only 24 putts to traverse the imposing layout of Florida's treacherous greens.

Lowry Eyes Redemption at PGA National

Lowry has extensive knowledge of the leaderboard at PGA National. This knowledge comes from his runner-up finish in 2022 and the consecutive top-5 finishes he has achieved in the years since.

Concerning his past disappointments and where he presently finds himself, the top-level ball-striker feels ready to put the ghosts to rest come Sunday, finally.

"Everything went pretty well, especially early on," said Lowry. "I started hitting the ball really well and giving myself lots of chances, and I converted a few."

The 36-year-old noted the challenge of maintaining such a lead on a tricky course given its design. This is because the course demands total accuracy on every shot.

"It's not necessarily easy to lead around this golf course. There are a lot of very difficult shots. So yeah, I'm up there where I want to be."

As he continues to lead the field in the first three rounds of the tournament in strokes gained with his irons, Lowry's approach play has been the highlight of his week.

As the memories of the late rainstorm from 2022 are still fresh, the Irishman is in chase of a long-overdue victory on the PGA Tour and hoping for a much easier experience.

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Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Joyita Das