Shane Lowry aimed to improve his score and challenge Scottie Scheffler during the British Open at Royal Portrush, where he previously triumphed in 2019. However, circumstances turned dire when he was hit with a two-shot penalty. This occurred after his ball shifted slightly while he was taking a practice swing in the wet rough on the 12th hole. The incident sparked a frenzy on social media as slow-motion replays revealed the ball’s movement.
Following the governing body’s decision, Lowry spent nearly half an hour deliberating the penalty with rule officials. While he originally posted a score of 70, the penalty elevated his score to 1-over 72, leaving him ten shots behind the tournament leader. Lowry learned about the potential penalty while playing the 15th hole, where he maintained a score of 1 under, just inside the cut line.
In a press conference after the round, Lowry expressed his frustration but stated he would rather accept the penalty than deal with accusations of cheating online, emphasising he didn’t see the ball move as he focused on his swing. Despite the disappointment, he planned to regroup and tackle the next round.
Lowry pointed out that the officials had already made up their minds based on a single camera angle, which was too close, lacking context from a broader view that could have clarified the situation. He stated, “If the ball moved… it’s a two-shot penalty,” acknowledging the need to remain above reproach in the sport.
Following the incident, Lowry’s fellow competitor Scheffler spoke up, recognising the tough position Lowry was in and voiced sympathy for the scrutiny he faced.
In other tournament news, Marc Leishman was the only Australian who made it through to the weekend, scoring a commendable three-under 68. Meanwhile, Jason Day missed the cut due to a late adjustment in the cut line. As for the leaderboard, Scheffler was one shot clear of 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, with Brian Harman and China’s Haotong Li trailing two shots behind at eight under par.