Golf

Solid start for Shane Lowry at Cognizant Classic as Jake Knapp shoots 59

Offalyman is on five under, while Séamus Power is on two under on the PGA Tour

Shane Lowry of Ireland plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the Cognizant Classic. Photograph: Mike Ehrmann/Getty
Shane Lowry of Ireland plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the Cognizant Classic. Photograph: Mike Ehrmann/Getty
David Gorman
Fri Feb 28 2025 - 09:25

Shane Lowry made a solid start to the Cognizant Classic with a five-under-par 66 in unusually low-scoring conditions at PGA National.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Florida, known for the “Bear Trap” traditionally plays one of the most difficult on the PGA Tour all season but gave up a series of low scores on Thursday, including a stunning 12-under-par 59 by Jake Knapp, only the 15th sub-60 score in the tour’s history.

Knapp had written his name into history by the time Lowry started his round, which left the Irishman knowing he had to go birdie hunting. He made a strong start with two birdies in his first three holes and a third at the seventh to turn in 32. Three more birdies followed by the 14th but he will be left disapppointed by his finish of one over for the final four holes. Lowry, who has a good record at PGA National, is tied 16th, seven shots off the lead.

Séamus Power shot a two-under-par 69 in his opening round to leave him 10 shots off the lead in tied 76th, the Waterford man looking for a high finish to qualify for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

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Knapp’s 59 included five birdies in the first five holes, 12 birdies in total without a single bogey. The American hit 12 fairways and 16 greens, birdieing the final hole to seal his place in the record books.

“I knew obviously I had it going really early, but at the same time, that can happen and then it can kind of fizzle out pretty quick,” he said. “I thought I did a good job of just trying to focus on shot by shot and not letting what happened or what could happen affect anything.

“Then once I made the long putt on 15, it was like, okay, now this is kind of here.

“But at the same time, didn’t let it affect the game plan or anything like that. Tried to hit an aggressive shot into 16, 17 and 18, and just tried to - knew I was hitting it well, so tried to just birdie everything today.”

Knapp is four shots ahead of Daniel Berger, Russell Henley and Sami Valimaki, who shot eight-under 63s.

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times