Rusty Lowry nine behind Aberg at Torrey Pines

Shane Lowry showed signs of rust and frustration after his eight-week winter break but chiselled out a level par 72 to trail Ryder Cup teammate Ludwig Aberg by nine shots in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Keen add to his Ryder Cup qualifying points tally, the world number 28 made a sensational start to his PGA Tour season on the demanding South Course, firing a fairway bunker shot to seven feet to set up and opening birdie before recovering from rough to birdie the second by releasing in a 96-yard wedge to just four feet.

A bogey at the fourth, where he short-sided himself, looked like only a minor blip, especially after he hit a short iron to four feet at the next.

But the Offaly man over-read his birdie putt and missed by a whisker, then missed another four-footer for a birdie four at the long sixth.

He soon found himself back where he started the day, on level par, when he drove into sand at the 472-yard seventh and could only advance the ball 98 yards.

He missed another four-footer at the par-five ninth, three-putting from 38 feet for a six to turn in one over.

While he played the inaugural TGL event in Florida in early January, rust was a problem for Lowry, who had not played with card in hand since the DP World Tour Championship in November.

He looked frustrated walking to the tenth, and even after rattling in an unlikely 45-footer for birdie there, a bunkered tee shot at the 12th cost him another stroke.

He got back to level par by making a 20 footer at the 15th only to lip out from seven feet for par after finding a greenside bunker at the 225-yard 16th.

He couldn’t convert birdie chances from eight feet at the 17th but made no mistake from similar range at the last.

His 72 left him tied for 87th, nine shots behind world number six Aberg, who returned to action by finishing tied for fifth in The Sentry in Hawaii two weeks ago.

The sweet-swinging Swede was hugely impressive on the easier North Course, going out in six under 30 thanks to birdies at the 10th, 11th, 12th and 15th and an eagle three at the 17th.

He came home in 33, dropping a shot at the second but making birdies at the first, fifth, seventh and ninth to sign for a nine-under-par 63.

“Yeah, it was nice,” said Aberg, who underwent knee surgery last year and feels fully fit. “Felt like I was driving the ball really well. Golf becomes a lot easier when you can do that.

“Even though North is a little bit easier than South, it still presents its challenges and you've still got to hit the shots.

“Super happy with the way we kind of came out of the gates today and played some good golf.”

Aberg led by two strokes from Hayden Springer, who shot 65 on the North, and rookie Danny Walker, who hit every green in regulation for a best-of-the-day 65 on the South.

“Yeah, it's good,” Aberg said of his knee. “I haven't had any issues since the surgery, so it's really nice.

“Even though I think Maui was the ultimate test for that, I got some blisters on my feet, that's another story, but the knee was holding up nice.”

He played alongside US Ryder Cup hopeful Sahith Theegala (71) and captain Keegan Bradley (69), but there was no early talk of September.

“No real chirping going back and forth today,” Aberg said. Maybe that will come closer to Bethpage.”

Lowry will be hoping to do better on the North Course today, but Aberg doesn’t fear playing in the South for the next three days.

“Yeah, I love it,” he enthused. “I love big boy golf courses. It's my favourite type of golf to play.

“You've got to hit the shots, execute the shots, hit the fairways, hit the greens. I like my chances when it looks like that, so looking forward to three more days of it.”