Shane Lowry found the hustle of Delhi’s traffic less distracting compared to the rowdy New York spectators as he surged to the top of the leaderboard during the DP World India Championship. Lowry, along with European captain Luke Donald and Tommy Fleetwood, showcased a stellar performance, securing a one-shot lead with a remarkable score of 64, marked by five consecutive birdies on the back nine.
Expressing his contentment with the draw, Lowry mentioned, “Being with the lads, we’ve had some good things happen the last few weeks. We all had a great time and we all played pretty good. I just rolled off a few more birdies than they did on the back nine.” Despite the background noise from the road, reminiscent of the Ryder Cup experience, Lowry emphasized the competitive spirit among professional golfers striving for their best scores.
Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, praised the challenging 6,912-yard course at the Delhi Golf Club, stating, “I feel like this type of golf course suits me,” after delivering a flawless round with eight birdies. On the other hand, Rory McIlroy, also from Ireland, faced a tougher challenge, opting not to use his driver during his round of three-under 69, where he strategically navigated the course without long drives.
Reflecting on his strategy, McIlroy explained, “If you’re really conservative off a par-5 today, you might have like a 5-wood into the green, but I’m never going to hit driver, so I just thought I’ve got to 2-iron, 3-iron, 4-iron all the way through,” adapting his approach to the course layout. The competition at the championship promises more exciting rounds ahead as golfers aim to outshine each other while enjoying the unique challenges presented by the Delhi Golf Club.
