Course 'tricky' but Shane Lowry going well after good second round at Valspar Championship
CHALLENGING: Shane Lowry said conditions in Florida were "lot trickier than what they might look on TV or people at home watching". Pic: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
If Shane Lowry had been offered four-under for the day ahead of the second round at the Valspar Championship, given the tough conditions, he would have taken it.
Lowry, who started his round on the back nine, had a superb first nine holes at Palm Harbor in Florida, carding six birdies. The next nine were less productive with two bogeys, including one on the final hole, reducing his score. Four-under leaves him well in contention for the weekend.
"I got some nice numbers and then hit some good shots, and when I hit good shots I converted the putts," said Lowry.
"I played that nine holes pretty flawlessly, didn't really miss many shots. When I did, I played the 18th pretty average and got it up-and-down for par. So yeah, unfortunately, I wasn't as good on the other nine, but I think 4-under on a day like today, if you had given me that in the locker room this morning I would have taken it."
Lowry had finished Thursday's opening round at the Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Couse on level par. Conditions on Friday were cold and windy.
"A lot trickier than what they might look on TV or people at home watching," said Lowry.
"I think you can't necessarily feel the wind a lot around here as well, so you have to just, there's a lot of trust involved. It was gusting as well. And it was cold. So there's a lot of factors you have to take in with a lot of your shots.
"Small, firm greens. I know it's a course that had been quite wet the last few days, but with this wind it's kind of whipping up especially with the cold this morning those get firmer.
"And it's just tricky, it's just, it's hard to hit a load of fairways, it's hard to hit loads of greens, and you just need to be on your game. I think it's one of the underrated golf courses that we play all year, I think it's a great track."
Lowry also revealed that he was recently forced to change his driver.
"My driver that I've been using for a couple of months, I think something happened to it," he said.
"And I got one the Tuesday at Bay Hill. I struggled at Bay Hill because I just wasn't overly happy with... it's an uncomfortable golf course with driver, even if you're driving the ball really well. I had a new one in play, and just some of the tee shots are quite tough. But the last two weeks have been well... I drove it very well last week at The Players and drove it well yesterday and today as well."
