Shane Lowry birdied three of the last six holes to finish on two under par at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational, six shots behind leader Harris English.
The Offaly man carded bogeys on 3, 10 and 11 but picked up shots on 6, 8, 13, 16 and the final hole to share a tie for 26th place in Memphis.
It was, though, another day to forget for fellow Tokyo 2020 Team Ireland member Rory McIlroy.
Having missed out in a seven-man play-off for Olympic bronze on Sunday, McIlroy signed for a two-over 72, a double bogey at the sixth and another dropped shot on the 18th proving costly.
Y'all, @Harris_English just shot 28 on the front nine 🤯 pic.twitter.com/z45sE4xtH4
— WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (@WGCFedEx) August 5, 2021
English built on his quick start to record an opening-round 62 and take a two-stroke lead at the the
American Harris went into the turn at seven under, matching the lowest nine holes on the 2021 Race to Dubai.
Despite dropping two shots early on the back nine at TPC Southwind, another three birdies from the 15th saw English home ahead of a four-way tie for third.
American pair Jim Herman and Matthew Wolff are alongside England's Ian Poulter and Mexican Carlos Ortiz on six under.
"Birdieing the first four holes is good all the time," English said. "It was just one of those rounds where you’re hitting it where you’re looking.
"Everything was working, you just kind of get in the zone.
Starting on the 10th, Poulter shot a blemish-free 64, while Bryson DeChambeau, who missed the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19, is a stroke back alongside compatriot Scottie Scheffler and Marc Leishman of Australia.
62!
— WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (@WGCFedEx) August 5, 2021
Yea, that'll do @Harris_English 👊 pic.twitter.com/Jqsh0EUYza
