The Open: Shane Lowry facing potential penalty problem, new leader hits birdie blitz and Rory McIlroy insists he 'can challenge'
According to the rules
In Rule 9.4 of the Rules of Golf (the gospel of the sport) - if you cause your ball at rest to move then it is a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced. If it is not replaced and you proceed to play the stroke, then it is a two-stroke penalty.
By that video, it appears that Lowry moved his ball and then didn't replace it before playing his stroke, so that would be a two-stroke penalty. However, will they apply leniency because Lowry clearly didn't know that his ball had moved?
12 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
World number one aiming upwards
Scottie Scheffler fires it in to seven feet at the 13th, with Lowry and Morikawa further away, but also setting up makeable birdie putts.
Scheffler could be about get back to -8 - and with five holes still to play.
Edit: Scheffler tap, tap, taps it in and he's in a tie for second. No such joy for Lowry (-1).
17 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Lowry makes par... for now
A routine two putt par keeps Lowry at -1 for the week but... what will come later regarding that practice swing controversy? It's just become the evening's talking point.
23 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Fitzpatrick safe on 15
The leader got a good drive away on the 15th and has slotted his approach onto the middle of the green. You'd have to say it's highly likely there's a two-putt par coming up to stay -9.
23 minutes ago
Potential penalty problem for Shane
I don't fully know the rules on this, so I'm not going to say for definite that he's in trouble here, but there is video evidence that as he took a practice swing from the rough on the par-five 12th that the impact of his club hitting the ground caused his ball to move - and quite obviously, too, there's no denying that's what happened.
The only question is what is the ruling around it? Because an action that Lowry took caused the ball to move, is that considered a stroke? Is there no problem because it wasn't a stroke aimed at the ball?
We will find out soon enough.
Fried Egg Golf on Twitter / X
Sure looks like Shane Lowry's ball moved on the practice swing here pic.twitter.com/qXkc8e1sTJ— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) July 18, 2025
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27 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Is Tom making the cut?
It's looking less and less likely as time goes on, unfortunately. He remains in a tie for 78th, needing eight players to drop to at least +3 to sneak in. The rain drying up doesn't do him any favours, either.
30 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
A tester for the leader
A poor approach from Fitzpatrick tickles off the right side of the 14th green. His chip pulls up over five feet short and he'll have that to stay at -10.
And the first sign of trouble? The putt slips past as he gesticulates angrily at the green. It's a third drop shot of the day and he falls back to -9, now just one clear of clubhouse leaders Harman and Li.
So really the heading to this post should be: Rory moves within six
35 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
West in show
Lee Westwood looked to be in serious trouble on the 18th as he found the greenside bunker and had an awful lie, from which he could only push it to 27 feet beyond the hole - a good shot in the circumstances, it must be said.
But it doesn't matter because he holes the putt back! Superb putt from the Englishman and he signs for a one-under 71 to head into the weekend level with Rory McIlroy at -3!
36 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
What about Shane?
He's been adopting a bit of a Brian Harman 'boring' style today, except with fewer birdies. It's now nine pars and one birdie (at the 3rd) for his opening 10 holes. However, that has now changed. Because he's made bogey. Turns out he had to hack out of rough - as did his playing partner Scheffler. Neither are able to save par from the back of the green and so Scheffler tumbles to -7, Lowry to -1.
40 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
'I played the same... but I said I can't give up': Bryson DeChambeau on his 13-shot swing between his first round and second round which helped him make the cut
What was the difference:"I played the same as I did yesterday. That's links golf for you. I executed pretty much the same shots as I did yesterday. I didn't feel like I played any different, today they just kind of went more my way. My wedges were just a fraction better and that was really it. Made a couple more putts. Just really felt like I was rolling it well today. There wasn't much different. That's why links golf is the way links golf is."
What did you say to yourself:"I want to go home. But I woke up this morning and I said, you know what, I can't give up. My dad always told me never to give up, just got to keep going, and that's what I did today. I was proud of the way I fought back, really persevered through some emotionally difficult moments and to hold myself together and not get p****d and slam clubs and throw things and all that like I wanted to, like I was very proud of myself."
45 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Scheffler struggling for par at 11
I know what I was saying about slow rounds out there.... but if I was these guys now, I'd be going slowly to have to hit as few shots as possible before this rain goes off. It's torrential but is due to clear up shortly. In the mean time, it's definitely having an impact as the world number one has to chop out of thick rough left of 11.
48 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
See?
This is what I was saying about not wanting a Harman, English final pairing on Sunday...
Brian Harman to continue his 'very boring approach' in bid for second Open title
Former Open champion Brian Harman claims the name of the venue may have changed but his game is the same as he seeks to replicate his 2023 Claret Jug victory.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
53 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
An ark just floated past the media centre
That means the rain is back and it is hammering down in biblical proportions again. I really don't know how else to describe it, it is absolutely chucking it down and while it might be a short shower that last 10-15 minutes, it's really going to make things miserable out there for the players. Let's see how it affects them...
Adam McKendry
'I feel really comfortable here': Clubhouse leader Brian Harman, who is at -8 after a second round 65
On the similarities between Hoylake and Portrush:"I feel really comfortable over here. I'm comfortable driving it. They're very different golf courses but the golf is similar. You've got to be able to flight your golf ball, you've got to know how far everything's going, then you can't get frustrated. You're going to get bad breaks, you're going to end up in funny spots where it doesn't seem fair and you just have to kind of outlast that stuff. Although the golf courses are different, the style of golf is very similar."
His approach for Saturday:"I'll approach the weekend the same way (as 2023). The only thing I'm really worried about is the first tee ball tomorrow and then I'll try to hit the next one up there close to the flag. If not, go to the second hole. It's a very boring approach that I take. I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. I know that I've got the game to do it, and it's just a matter of executing and staying in my own head. I would love to have a similar weekend (to 2023) and just play great the whole way through. There's going to be challenges. This is a hard golf course. The pins have been in really, really tough spots, and you've really got to think your way around it. Inevitably you're going to mis-hit some shots and end up in spots you don't want to be in, and the way you handle that will determine the outcome of the tournament for sure."
58 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Fitzpatrick doing a Lowry?
It's now FOUR consecutive birdies to start to the back nine for the Englishman who has opened up a two-shot lead at the top. He's now six under par for the day. A couple more birdies in his final five holes and he could yet match Shane's Saturday 63 from 2019.
The Open on Twitter / X
Into double digits with his fourth birdie in-a-row.Fitzpatrick has a two-shot lead. pic.twitter.com/LtTugd5Z2m— The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2025
Today 05:07 PM
Gareth Hanna
'We love you Darren'
A single fan's voice can be heard after a loud and lengthy round of applause, whoops and whistles subsides when Clarke reaches the green for what will be the final time this week.
The 2011 champion is very well-liked by Northern Ireland's golfing public, and they're making sure he knows it.
The man who now gives his name to the 9th hole on the Dunluce Links, is also remembered for beating Tiger Woods in the final of the 2000 WGC World Matchplay.
He closes out his week with a bogey to finish +6, but these fans have enjoyed watching him play one more time.
Today 04:59 PM
NEW SOLO LEADER
Matt Fitzpatrick is your new leader as he takes advantage of the short par-five 12th by hitting it in two and safely two-putting for the birdie that takes him to -9 and one clear of Brian Harman and Haotong Li!
Over on the 18th green, as a half full stand awaits Darren Clarke, there was a gasp and a round of applause as the leaderboard was updated to send Fitzpatrick top.
Today 04:57 PM
Haotong joins clubhouse Li'd
Haotong Li matches yesterday's 67 to tie Brian Harman 's clubhouse lead of eight under par.
Unfortunately for them, it looks like Matt Fitzpatrick is about to go one shot clear as he's on the par five 12th in two.
Today 04:56 PM
Flag hunting
Almost literally for Dustin Johnson as he takes aim with his second shot on the par-four 18th, it hits the green hard and bounces up... and hits the flag, dropping down a foot from the hole! Sometimes you get the breaks and that was certainly one of them - that will be a tap-in birdie for the two-time Major winner and he'll be in for the weekend at level-par!
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Times
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The Open leaderboard 2025 live: scores, updates from round 4 at Portrush
The American, a signed-up member of the 'stop slow play' club and keen to time his fellow players with a stopwatch, is out on course following three rounds of 78, 65 and 68 respectively. An opening birdie is not out of the question here after he makes up for an errant tee shot into the rough by plopping his second on the green. The 2019 champion's (-1) run of birdies comes to an end on 10 with a par, though he wasn't far off with his first putt. He's four under for this round. Elsewhere, the wonderfully named Maverick McNealy is three under thru 3 and four under for the week — he's top of the players currently out there, tied for 22nd. Rickie Fowler picks up a birdie at the 2nd to move to three under. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. How about this for Shane Lowry, who reaches the turn in 32. He finds the green with his second shot on the 9th, around 20 feet away, and it's yet another birdie. That's three in a row and he's on one under. Right then, any early movers and shakers? Despite his illness, Shane Lowry has rediscovered some of that 2019-winning form to record his fourth birdie of the front nine. Phil Mickelson is two under for his round thru 10 while fellow Open winners Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth, and Franceso Molinari — who took the Claret Jug between 2016 and 2018 respectively — are all out on course. It's an unforgiving game, golf. You only have to go back three years to find someone overturning a four-shot Open deficit in the final round (Rick Broadbent writes at Portrush). Cam Smith won that year after reining in Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland. He was actually six strokes better than McIlroy and ten better than Hovland. Scottie Scheffler is a different proposition, though. He has had one bogey in his last 43 holes, has closed out his last nine 54-hole leads, has been showing exquisite distance control this week and his nearest challenger, Haotong Li, has just made an Open cut for the first time since 2018. 'Kind of like, play for second,' Li said of his plans. This is golf, though. If someone is four under thru six then it could at least get interesting. Smith, by the way, has missed the cut at all four majors in 2025. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. The fact that Sergio Garcia is playing at this early hour already indicates that it's not been his tournament, and now he's just broken his driver in anger after hooking left on the 2nd tee. Because he broke the club on purpose, he now can't replace it this round. It's very early doors on the final day at Portrush but that doesn't mean there aren't big names to watch out for — most pertinently the 2019 champion Shane Lowry, who has begun his round already. It's been a disappointing week, capped by a two-shot penalty on Friday for moving a ball with his practice swing. He has also struggled with illness, saying 'every bathroom I went in and tried to throw up, [but] I couldn't'. 'The annoying thing for me today is I didn't get to enjoy today as much as I would have liked,' Lowry added yesterday. 'Saturday at the Open in your home country, I should enjoy it a lot more than I did, just because of how I felt.' He's one under thru 6 so far today and two over for the week. • Michael Foley: Why Shane Lowry is running on empty at Portrush Hello and welcome to The Sunday Times' live coverage of the final round of the 153rd Open Championship from Royal Portrush. Scottie Scheffler holds a four-shot lead going into the fourth day, after another excellent performance yesterday when he carded a four-under 67. Rory McIlroy, Haotong Li, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick are all in pursuit, and conditions look set to be fair. Be sure to follow along for updates, analysis and news from the Co Antrim coast as the final major of the year reaches its climax.
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Shane Lowry ‘felt like throwing up all over the place' after family hit by sickness bug amid The Open ball controversy
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHANE LOWRY felt sick after accepting a brutal two-stroke penalty - then wanted to throw up for his entire third round. Lowry, 38, was docked two shots on Friday night when TV footage appeared to show his ball move fractionally after a practice swing from the 12th hole rough. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Shane Lowry felt sick throughout his round on Saturday Credit: Sportsfile 3 He admitted his whole family had come down with the bug Credit: Getty He was called in by R&A officials and accepted his painful punishment to avoid being branded a cheat - despite having no idea of the possible breach of the rules until the 15th. It meant Lowry signed for a round of one-over 72 instead of one-under 70 and started his Saturday round at even par. The 2019 Open champion at Portrush carded a three-over 74 to take himself out of contention for today's final round. But then he revealed he had been feeling unwell after a bug hit his wife and daughters. READ MORE ON THE OPEN SEEING DOUBLE Baffled McIlroy hits TWO balls with ONE shot in never-seen-before incident Lowry said: 'I haven't eaten today yet. I tried to get a protein drink down me after eight holes, and I felt like throwing up all over the place. It's been a tough day and I had a bad finish. 'It was hard to take. Then I woke up at 2.30am with cramps in my stomach. I know we have it in the house. "Ivy had a couple of days ago. Wendy had it yesterday. Me and Iris have it today. It will be gone by the holidays next week so at least that's a plus. 'Honestly, every bathroom I went in and tried to throw up, I couldn't. It's just such a bad feeling. It's just really bad timing obviously.' CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Lowry initially admitted on Friday night he was 'very disappointed' by the harsh ruling but refused to talk more about it yesterday, except to say he had been backed by his fellow pros. He added: 'Quite supportive, I would say, from the other players. They all feel bad for me that two shots is a lot to give up. I don't really have much else to say.' Shane Lowry in rules breach controversy at The Open as balls appears to move on practice swing Playing partner Rahm was one of those to publicly voice his support for Lowry - and called for a change in the strict golf laws and severe penalty. The Spaniard added: "You're in a no-win situation because if you say I didn't see it, you always run the risk of being called something you don't want to be called. "If you take it on the safe side, you're taking a two-shot penalty. It's a tough spot to be in. It's tricky. "Something needs to be changed for sure, I just don't know exactly how they could change it."
