Lowry Fires 62 To Grab Three-shot Lead In Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jan, 2019 ) :Shane Lowry fired a course record-equalling 10-under-par 62 to grab a three-shot lead on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Wednesday.

The Irishman, currently ranked 75th in the world but without a win since his triumph at the World Golf Championship-Bridgestone Invitational in August 2015, was bogey-free on what looked a demanding Abu Dhabi Golf Club course with narrow fairways and juicy rough.

Despite finding just four fairways, the 31-year-old Lowry was rarely troubled as he fired one dart-like approach shot after another in his 10-birdie round.

That matched the tournament record low of 62 established by Henrik Stenson in the third round of the inaugural edition in 2006.

A group of four players were tied for second place at seven-under par, including 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and his fellow South African Richard Sterne, Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera and 2014 champion Pablo Larrazabal, who holed out his second shot from 174 yards on the par-four 16th hole and birdied the last two.

England's Ian Poulter made light of a 34-hour trip from Hawaii to reach Abu Dhabi on Tuesday night, shooting a six-under-par 66 to be tied sixth along with compatriot Lee Westwood and three-time champion Martin Kaymer of Germany.

World number two Brooks Koepka opened his campaign with a bogey-free 67, while former number one Dustin Johnson managed a three-under-par 69, a score matched by two-time defending champion Tommy Fleetwood.

Lowry credited his preparation for the tournament after a long lay-off for his round.