Shane Lowry five off the lead after opening round in Florida

Shane Lowry is five shots off the lead after carding a 69 in his opening round at the Valspar Championship in Florida.

The Offaly native, fresh from last week's weather-affected Players Championship at Sawgrass where he was briefly in contention, finished on two under, with Graeme McDowell four shots further back on four over.

The duo teed off together just after 5pm Irish time, Lowry making a fast start with a birdie on the Par-5 first.

He then picked up a further shot on the fourth before a bogey on eight dropped him back.

But Lowry rebounded on the back nine to climb up to three under with birdies on 11 and 14 which temporarily moved him within four shots of the lead.

But a bogey on the final hole saw the 34-year-old slip back to two under and five off the lead held by Jhonattan Vegas, Sam Burns, Adam Hadwin and David Lipsky after the quartet carded 64s.

McDowell will be aiming to bounce back in Friday's second round after four bogeys and two birdies across his 18 holes.

Two of those dropped shots were back-to-back on eight and nine before an eventful stretch of four holes on 11 to 14 with birdies sandwiching a pair of bogeys as he finished with a two-over 73.

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