SHANE LOWRY sported some ugly trousers but looked sharp with partner Ian Poulter as they moved into contention for the $8.3 million Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Sporting loud checked slacks and matching shirts chosen by Poulter, the Offaly star made seven of the team’s nine birdies as they opened with an eight-under 64 in the fourballs at TPC Louisiana.

The Ryder Cup teammates finished the day tied for 17th, five shots behind Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, who shot a 13-under 59 top lead by a shot from Matthew Nesmith and Taylor Moore.

Scores

“We did have fun, and we played all right,” beamed Lowry, who is desperate for a win after claiming his third top-three finish in his last six starts in the RBC Heritage on Sunday.

“It’s been a long couple of months. The only thing that keeps me going this week is that I have a good partner and we had a good bit of craic out there.”

Putting well, Lowry birdied the 10th, 13th, 14th and 18th, then sandwiched a counting bogey at the sixth between birdies at the fourth, fifth and seventh as Poulter bookended their back nine with two birdies.

“I’ve just been spending time on my putting, doing drills and working with my coach down in Jupiter,” Lowry said of his excellent form with the blade. “I’m trying not to think about it too much. I’ll just keep going, and hopefully, one of these weeks, I’ll be standing there with a trophy.”

As for whose idea it was to wear the slacks, Lowry protested: “It wasn’t mine! We’ve got a bit of green on us for tomorrow, so hopefully, it’ll bring some luck. It’s just a bit of fun. This is the last time these will ever be coming out of my wardrobe.”

As Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett shot 63 to lie tied ninth, Bill Haas and his 68-year old father Jay carded a seven-under 65 to share 28th with Séamus Power and Graeme McDowell, as well as world number two Collin Morikawa and fifth-ranked Viktor Hovland.

In Spain, Niall Kearney was one-under through 15 holes when play was suspended due to fading light in the rain-delayed DP World Tour’s ISPS Handa Championship at Infinitum’s Lakes Course in Tarragona.

South Africa’s Hennie Du Plessis was nine-under with two holes to play, three shots ahead of Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen and American Johannes Veerman, who shot six-under 64s to lead by a shot from Scot David Law and England’s Jack Senior after heavy rain and thunderstorms delayed play by two hours.

Jonathan Caldwell was 87th after a 71, while Cormac Sharvin birdied at two of his last four holes for a 72 at the venue, which will again host November’s Q-School Final Stage.

Meanwhile, Leona Maguire’s battle to recapture her putting form continued in the DIO Implant LA Open, where she had 33 putts, mixing one birdie with four bogeys as a two-over 73 that left her six shots behind the early leaders, Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen at Wilshire Country Club.

Stephanie Meadow also struggled, mixing three birdies with seven bogeys and a double-bogey in a six-over 77 featuring 34 putts.