Shane Lowry hits out of a bunker on the 16th hole during the 2024 Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo: Joe Rondone/The Arizona Republic)
You know its officially cold when burly Irishman Shane Lowry confirms he was cold.
“Honestly it was horrible,” Lowry said. “It was as tough conditions as I can remember for a while.”
It was so cold at TPC Scottsdale that Lowry sidled over to some fans standing at the sixth hole in the rain and said, “What are you guys doing out here? Surely you can find the closest bar and do something else.”
But Lowry has had enough practice that he’s learned how to brave the elements and he did so in impressive fashion, carding 4-under 67 on Thursday.
“My hands were as cold as they have been in a while,” Lowry said. “It’s one of those where you had to try and warm up your hands somehow before every shot, because you lose the feeling in ’em. Especially when you’re trying to hit soft shots or chips and putts, your touch kind of goes a little bit.
“To be 5 under through 9 out there was like a big head start on the field.”
Lowry made his first bogey of the day at No. 16 and heard the boos, but said he was proudest of responding with birdies at 17 and 18. How did he handle the nearly 3 ½-hour suspension of play?
“You ride it out. It’s one of those where, the older you get, the more you realize don’t let it affect you, just go in, chill out,” he said. “I’m lucky, I have a couple of friends here with me this week. We went out to my car in the parking lot and we just hung there for about two hours, warmed up, because it was very cold. Yeah, you just get used to it as the years go on.”
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