Lowry's drive over Valley of Sin just wicked

GOLF: 139th BRITISH OPEN: Philip Reidwatches as the Offaly man drives the 18th green on his way to signing for an impressive opening 68

SHANE LOWRY unleashed the best drive of the day on the 18th, one of the most famous holes in golf. It measures 357 yards and is guarded by a swale known to one and all as the Valley of Sin. But the 23-year-old Offaly man’s tee-shot flew most of the humps and hollows that lie between the tee box and green and came to rest some 20 feet from the pin. He’d driven the green.

“A bullet of a drive,” said Lowry.

As he left the tee box, Lowry’s caddie Dermot Byrne lumbered up to him. Lowry told him of how he’d watched the British Open on television as a kid and of how driving the last hole was like a dream. Byrne responded, “If you have any doubts whether you’re able to compete at this level, you’ve just shown it today.”

Although Lowry missed the eagle putt on the 18th, the ball lipped out to leave a tap-in birdie, he still marked his debut appearance in a major by signing for four-under-par 68.

“I’m very pleased with my round, actually; it’s probably the best I’ve played in a few weeks. They were the best iron shots I’ve hit in a while, especially coming in on 15, 16, 17. It’s a good start.

“I wasn’t too confident going out but I got into the rhythm of things pretty quick. I’m just pleased with that score.”

Given the washout on Wednesday, Lowry and his coach Neil Manchip hit the range yesterday morning to do some work on his swing. It was a break from his regular pre-round routine. “It was just because I’d got no work done (on Wednesday), I hit more balls than I normally would,” he remarked.

Lowry’s round included six birdies and two bogeys and, all in all, constituted a fine day’s work as he manoeuvred his way into the business end of the leaderboard.

“You know, the first tee shot I was quite nervous. But I just went through my routine and committed to it, as I tried to do all day. I managed to pull it off.”

As one of the last men to claim a ticket into the field, Darren Clarke – who earned his spot here on the basis of his runner-up finish in the Scottish Open on Sunday – was left with mixed feelings after signing for a 70.

“I would have been hoping for a little bit better. Two under par? It’s by no means a bad start. I gave myself a lot of chances. My feel on the greens was a little bit out, my pace wasn’t quite there and, consequently, I didn’t really make anything. I made one nice putt on the 16 and that was just about it all day.”

Clarke, whose best finish in a British Open was tied-second in 1997 at Troon, remained upbeat:

“I’m very comfortable with what I’m doing in my game and I hit a lot of really good shots out there. It’s like any tournament, you’ve got to give yourself the opportunities and knock in the putts. I did give myself lots of chances but didn’t convert them.

“I believe the weather is going to go downhill from here, so hopefully it blows hard and there’ll be a bit of rain.”