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THE HONDA CLASSIC

February 25, 2016

Shane Lowry

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Q. Talk us through the last hole.
SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, I hit a great drive down there and had 215 front, 243 flag and wind howling out of the left. It was a really horrible shot. I was just trying to get it in the bunker left or just past the bunker and try and make four. It was straight at the flag and just stayed there and it was nice.

Q. You were saying off-camera that you didn't want to hit the shot but you stood up and flushed it.
SHANE LOWRY: No, I didn't. I told Darren, my caddie, I didn't fancy the shots. But like all day, there's so many tough shots, so just said you have to go ahead and commit to it.

Q. Your first impression of the Bear Trap, because it's breezy out there this morning?
SHANE LOWRY: It is, the Bear Trap itself has actually been okay. The rest of the golf course was the problem. 15 was just a 7-iron, bit of a crosswind there the left, and 17 was just a 9-iron today straight downwind. The whole golf course is definitely one of the toughest I've played. All day it was mentally very tough and draining and I'll definitely sleep tonight.

Q. You had a good start in Phoenix, got yourself on the leaderboard and made some noise out there. What's the state of your game coming into the early part of the season?
SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, it's been pretty good. I had done okay at Torrey Pines and played nicely at Phoenix. I felt for 54 holes, I played good enough golf to win the tournament. Just kind of Saturday afternoon and Sunday, Sunday morning, didn't play great. But finished strongly there.

Went on to Pebble Beach and didn't really struggle on the greens but I'm back here this week and very tough golf course. A golf course I actually like. It's my first time here and hopefully I can keep it going for the weekend.

Q. Great round of golf, incredible shot there at 18, your second shot, within like three feet. Tell us about that, what was the distance and what clubs you hit?
SHANE LOWRY: I hit a good one drive down there and I had 215 front, 243 flag, so it was wind howling out of the left, it was a hard 3-iron and tried to not let it go right. I was just trying to get it up somewhere left of the green or somewhere on the left side of the green and thankfully it came off straight at the flag and released down to about three feet. It was a nice way to finish.

Q. What did you say to your caddie?
SHANE LOWRY: I think both of us were pretty happy. He said knock it in; I said I would be happy with a 2-putt.

I was happy to shoot under par. It's so tough. It's very tough mentally. Every shot requires a good shot. You don't get away with any bad shots out there. But I'm very happy where I am. I've got a long way to go. I've got three rounds left, so hopefully I can get a good night's sleep tonight and get out there tomorrow night.

Q. The Bear Trap is always tough, but 14, no birdies so far today, that wind is right in your face. That wind has to be impossible?
SHANE LOWRY: We were questioning where the tee was on 14. I hit a good one drive and I was 15 yards ahead of the two guys I was playing with and I was like -- either 3-iron or 5-wood into the wind and the pin looks like it's in a canoe on the right side of the green.

10 is the same. 10 is basically it's driver, wood; driver, 5-wood, 3-wood. They are playing like par 5s and that's the way I played them. I said, well, if I make four, well and good, it will feel like a birdie and if I make a five, it's not the end of the world, that's how you have to play this golf course.

Q. Your game is elevated, you must be feel like you're playing at the highest level of your career right now?
SHANE LOWRY: Definitely. I feel like I'm playing good. I feel like I'm good enough to come out and compete week-in, week-out. I've done okay at the start of the year. Pretty happy with my first three tournaments and obviously I'm very happy with my round today and I'm looking forward to not only the weekend, but the whole season, and playing over here a little bit more and going back to Europe and playing. I have a very exciting schedule this year and I'm looking forward to a lot of things.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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