Dogs—or Lack Thereof—Dominate Day 1 at Delhi GC

I’ve long been an advocate for golf course dogs. I think every course in the world should have a pooch either part of the greenskeepers crew or in the pro shop posted up on a dog bed behind the counter. The vibes would be through the roof.

The folks at Delhi GC, the host of this week’s DP World India Championship, took it a step further. A dog found its way onto the course on Thursday, halting play for a bit on the 18th hole.

And I just want to say, I don’t love how the marshall was chasing after that good boy with a sign. It’s a dog, man. Bend down, say hi, grab its collar, and walk it off the green. No need for sign swinging.

One of the players who had to wait for the doggo to clear the green was Shane Lowry, and after a quick break, the Irishman buried a birdie putt to finish the day at 8 under and one shot clear Keita Nakajima. His 64 included eight birdies, no bogeys, and a stretch of five circles in a row from Nos. 11-15.

The reason for his success? He was walking the fairways alongside his captain, Luke Donald, and teammate, Tommy Fleetwood.

“When I saw the draw, I was really happy,” Lowry said. “Being with the lads, we've had some good things happen the last few weeks. It was nice. I haven't played with Luke that much in tournaments but obviously I know him pretty well and we all fed off each other and it was nice.”

Fleetwood and Donald each signed for a 4-under 68 on Day 1, a little proof that the vibes for the Europeans were immaculate.

Rory McIlroy, another member of Team Europe, made six birdies and three bogeys on his way to an opening 3-under 69, and he did it all without his driver (and the infamous St. Bernard headcover).

“Dog was out of the bag. He’s having a sleep in the locker,” McIlroy said after his round.

Delhi GC is narrow. Like, Whole-Foods-aisle narrow. So for McIlroy, the best driver on the planet, taking out the temptation makes a lot of sense.

With all these big names playing well, I might have to set some early alarms over the weekend. If you’re hoping to watch some of the action from India, here’s all the info you need.

Friday: 2:30-7:30 a.m. ET on Golf Channel Saturday: 2:30-7:30 a.m. ET on Golf Channel Sunday: 2-7 a.m. ET on Golf Channel