Shane Lowry is just one shot off the lead in Toronto
Shane Lowry(Image: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Shane Lowry sits just one shot off the lead following a bogey-free opening round at the RBC Canadian Open.
The 39-year-old carded a five-under 65, which leaves him tied for seventh place, with five-time major winner Brooks Koepka among six players on six-under following Thursday’s first round in Toronto.
Lowry had four birdies on the front nine and one on the back, which came on the 18th. He is one of 12 players on five-under on what is a stacked leaderboard.
Rory McIlroy has opted to skip the Canadian Open, which he won in 2019 and 2022, but Séamus Power and Pádraig Harrington are also in action at TPC Toronto.
Power is seven shots off the leaders and tied for 120th on one over after a 71, while Harrington is two shots further back in a tie for 135th.
Koepka finished strongly to fire a six-under-par 64, birdying four of the last five holes to join Emiliano Grillo, Sam Burns, home hope Matthew Anderson, Eric Cole and Sahith Theegala at the top of a congested leaderboard.
Harry Hall, Matt Wallace and Danny Willett are two shots off the lead on 66, while fellow English trio Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Dan Brown are a further shot back as 54 players finished the round within three strokes of the lead.