Sami Valimaki’s claim the lead in Prague, while Ryder Cup hopeful Bob MacIntyre starts well
Shane Lowry of Ireland tees off on the 13th hole during the D+D Real Czech Masters. Photograph: Octavio Passos/Gettyhit his wedge approach to inside four feet on the fifth hole of his opening round of the D+D Czech Masters at the Albatross resort outside Prague to set up his fourth birdie, it seemed that his decision to add the tournament on to his late-season schedule – hoping to impress Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald – was a shrewd move.
But that was as good as it got for Lowry, as that fourth birdie in five holes proved to be his last. After the fast start, he hit speed bumps along the way and three bogeys on his scorecard en route home saw him sign for a one-under-par 71, to trail first round leader Sami Valimaki of Finland by eight strokes.
Lowry’s 71 was actually the same score as that recorded by Donald and, indeed, Pádraig Harrington who, in a change of direction in his scheduling, added the tournament in Prague on to his own itinerary rather than playing on the Champions Tour stateside. Without any way of playing his way into the automatic Ryder Cup places before the qualifying ends at next week’s Omega European Masters in Switzerland, which Lowry is not playing in as takes a week off ahead of the Horizon Irish Open at The K Club and then defending his BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, this is Lowry’s final outing before Donald names his six wild cards on September 4th, the Monday ahead of the Irish Open.
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