During the third round of the 106th US PGA Championship at Valhalla, Shane Lowry emerged tantalisingly close to recording the first 61 in Men’s Major Championship history. Although the 2019 Open winner required a birdie on the 18th hole to secure his place in golfing folklore, a failed 12-foot putt led to an unfortunate bogey-free 62.
Previously, this record had been set by Branden Grace during the 2017 Open and was later matched by Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele at the 2020 US Open’s opening round and again by Schauffele this Thursday. Lowry made an impressive commencement with a string of four birdies, adding two more on the seventh and ninth, making him the first to break into the 30s in any of Valhalla’s four US PGA Championships.
Despite ranking 168th for putting in the PGA Tour, Lowry, a 37-year-old from Offaly, dug in deep, sinking birdies on the 13th and 14th from over 30 feet out and putting from just six feet on the 17th. Although he gave himself a promising chance with a remarkable third shot on the 18th, his birdie went low and left of the hole.
Still, Lowry set the pace with a score of 13-under-par in the clubhouse, followed closely by Schauffele who was 14-under with seven holes remaining. Lowry reflected on his near-record-breaking performance locally, expressing slight disappointment despite acknowledging the strides he made in the tournament.
He also marvelled at his putting achievement, contrasting it to when he won the Open after a notably impressive third round. He had harboured thoughts of having a shot at 61 with an eagle on the last if he could get to the 18th hole on eight-under.
During a recent game, Justin Rose kept pace with his teammate Lowry, striking an impressive five birdies in the first seven holes. He dropped a shot on the ninth, yet countered this with three birdies in the following nine to score 64 and achieve 12 under. The 2013 resident US Open champion acknowledged his successful utilisation of the competitive dynamics between himself and Lowry in their session.
Lowry further stated, “Rosey and I had a stellar beginning, and our competitive spirit fostered our performance. We baited one another. Tomorrow’s victory will require a similar vigour. Given the pliable nature of the course, there’s a chance for an unexpected comeback. I plan to relish my achievements today, return tomorrow to ardently combat and strive to clinch the trophy.”
Rose humorously labelled his 64 as ‘moderate’ when compared to Lowry’s performance. “No, in reality, I enjoyed today immensely. Our session started ideally, and rather amusingly, our results in the first seven holes were identical. We were both five-under-par and on a roll, very conscious of our ascent up the leaderboard.”
He alluded to the challenges he faced this year in the tournament golf where little was going his way. To see the change manifest in the desired games was gratifying. This motivates him to persist and work hard to make the twilight of his career resemble an Indian summer: warm and successful. He dreams of laying claim to a couple more Majors to add an extra sprinkle of brilliance to his career.
Rory McIlroy reported a three-under 68, elevating his score to eight under par. His day was adorned with a streak of four birdies, starting from the seventh hole.