Lowry started the tournament with back to back rounds of 69 at Valhalla Golf Course in Louisville, but he had a hot putter in the third round and piled up birdies at a spectacular pace. He had six birdies on the front nine and added three more on the back nine.
After his round, Lowry admitted he had regrets about his par on the 18th hole. He had a birdie putt of about 12 feet on the par-5 hole, but the attempt stayed two inches to the outside of the hole.
“I would have liked to have made one more birdie, ” Lowry said to CBS interviewer Amanda Balionis after the round. “I really thought I had a chance to make it. But I made a lot of putts today and it was an enjoyable day on the course.”
Lowry explained that he knew he had a chance to set the record midway through the back nine. “I knew that if I could get to 18 at 8 under I would have a chance to make eagle because the pin placement was easy.”
Lowry gets his name in the record by with his score of 62
While he had regrets about the final attempt and not being able to set the all-time record for lowest round at any major championship, he was thrilled overall with the way he played and at least tying the record.
Schauffele opened the tournament with a 62, and he has achieved that score in two major championships. He also did it at the 2023 U.S. Open. The only other players to achieve that score in major championships include Branden Grace at the 2017 Open Championship and Rickie Fowler also at the 2023 U.S. Open.
Lowery was paired with fellow British golfer Justin Rose, and he also had a brilliant round. Rose shot a 7 under par 64 and the two men pushed each other throughout the day. “We were egging each other on,” Lowry explained. “We both pushed each other trying to get back in the tournament.’
Lowry has one major championship to his credit, having won the 2019 Open Championship. He fired a 63 during the third round of that tournament to put himself in a position to win the next day.
Winning the PGA Championship Sunday is now Lowry’s goal, but he knows it will not be easy. He said that he is going to have to come back with another great round on Sunday because players like Schauffele and Collin Morikawa are on top of their games.
“Those guys are playing so well and the golf course is gettable right now,” Shane Lowry continued. “It could also be golfers who come from behind. I will enjoy this round today and come out and fight to win the trophy tomorrow.”
