Shane Lowry laments 'weird couple of days' at US Open after early exit
Shane Lowry summed up his US Open experience as a "weird" couple of days after missing the cut by a wide margin at a punishing Oakmont course.
An opening 79 on Thursday had left the Offaly man with a huge salvage job on his hands at the year's third major and it didn't get much better on Friday when he carded a 78 that left him tied for 134th on 17 over and heading home early.
Lowry told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen that very little went his way across the two rounds in Pennsylvania despite some aspects of his play being satisfactory.
"I drove it in play a lot (on Thursday), did what I was supposed to do off the tee and then just didn't have the game that I've had for the last while, and then really struggled on the greens and the round got away from me here and that was it," he said.
"I sort of let it do what I said I wouldn't do. But that's Oakmont, that's the US Open and I just made too many doubles, too many big mistakes and then when I got a couple of chances, I didn't convert them and I didn't really do much right, other than I drove the ball as good as I've probably driven the ball in a long time. So a weird kind of couple of days."
More frustratingly, it's come in a season when he's been largely on his game on the results front.
"I felt great coming in here," he said.
"It's been a strange sort of year where I've been having some great results but very rarely feel very satisfied with myself and this week is back to the drawing board after this week.
"But with scores like that, you can look a million miles away out there. But I feel like I was good in a lot of parts today, just obviously got a horrendous start and what happened at the second was just... problem is I tried a wedge in there to spin it off the green and I've 40 yards for my third shot. It's just hard.
"Maybe I should have been more aggressive off the tee but what happened, happened. It's just hard. You see three people are under par. The best players in the world are here and it's just hard."
However, Lowry was able to have a chuckle at his own expense for the very basic error he made on the 14th green by picking up his ball without marking it first, incurring a one-stroke penalty.
"Probably one of the stupidest things I've ever done," he quipped.
"I picked the ball up, had the ball in my hand, turned around to Darren (Reynolds, caddie) and he basically said to me, 'What are you doing?' And yeah, I put it back down, marked it and played on and I knew I was going to get penalised. I didn't know whether it was going to be one or two. But by then, maybe my mind was somewhere else."
Next up for Lowry is the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, before a very welcome three-week stretch back home in Ireland.
"I've been away from my wife and kids now for a few weeks and it's another week next week so I'm looking forward to getting home and getting back to Ireland and seeing all my friends and family."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
‘It's more frustration with you guys' – Rory McIlroy explains skipping media in tense interview after US Open nightmare
RORY MCILORY insists he's "earned the right to do whatever I want to do" after snubbing the press after his first two US Open Rounds. The Masters champion declined to speak to the world's media after his first two rounds at Oakmont in an apparent response to the coverage of his use of an illegal driver at last month's PGA Championship . 4 Roy McIlory refused to speak to the media after his firs two rounds at the US Open Credit: EPA 4 The Northern Irishman was seemingly frustrated at the media's coverage of his use of an illegal driver at the PGA Championship Credit: GETTY 4 The 36-year-old vented his frustrations with the media after his third round on Saturday Credit: SKY SPORTS The 36-year-old eventually spoke with the press after his four-over 74 round on Saturday and didn't hold back in his first post-round interview since Augusta. He said of his brief blackout: "It's just frustration with you guys [some sections of the media]. "I have been totally available for the past number of years. "That [driver issue] was a part of it, but at Augusta, I skipped you guys on Thursday. READ MORE ON RORY MCILROY It's not out of the ordinary as I've done it before, but I am doing it a little more often. "I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do." McIlroy's form has fallen off a cliff since sealing his career Grand Slam in April. He looked certain to miss the cut — like defending champion Most read in Golf JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Inside Rory McIlroy's whirlwind love life RORY MCILROY enjoyed a high-profile romance with former tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki before their split in 2014. The following year, the golf ace began dating Erica Stoll, who he had first met on the PGA Tour in 2011. Erica often interacted with players through her role as the PGA's manager of championship volunteer operations. She even prevented McIlroy from missing his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup after some confusion over the time zone. The incident began a firm friendship between the pair, four years before their relationship turned romantic. McIlroy and Erica were spotted on a string of dates in Rochester, New York, in the early days of their relationship. Just eight months later, the couple got engaged in Paris and walked down the aisle at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017. The pair then welcomed daughter Poppy into the world three years later. Throughout their time together, McIlroy and Erica have kept their relationship to themselves, with the golfer keen to protect his family from the cameras during filming of Netflix's Full Swing documentary series. However, after seven years of marriage, McIlroy filed for divorce from Erica. The reasons for the divorce were not disclosed, but the Northern Irishman submitted documents to a court in Florida. However, a few weeks later, performed a U-turn on their decision to divorce. McIlroy told the outlet: "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.' And He said: 'I was thinking, 'Do I really want two more days here?'. So it makes it easier to play better in that mindset. Rory McIlroy reacts to PGA Championship delay 'You don't know how you're going to react to something like my Masters win — something I'd dreamt about for a long time. And, yeah, I have felt a little flat on the golf course afterwards. 'I actually feel I've played OK this week. It's a golf course where the tiniest mistakes get penalised.' Given his mindset, it is no surprise McIlroy's faint US Open hopes vanished with a whimper rather than a roar. A four-over-par 74 kept the Northern Irishman among the back markers, and in this mood, he will do well to improve on his 47th-place finish at the USPGA a few weeks ago. At times, it has looked as if McIlroy has been going through the motions since Augusta, especially when he finished 149th out of 153 finishers in the Canadian Open last week. Sadly, Oakmont has proved another example of McIlroy playing without his usual drive and desire. It was hard to avoid the suspicion that he set out yesterday knowing he was unlikely to make significant inroads on the nine-shot gap that separated him from 36-hole leader McIlroy played the opening stretch in NINE OVER PAR over the first two days, while shooting three under on the back nine. The front nine is the tougher half — but not that much harder. I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do." Rory McIlory on his brief media blackout Marc Leishman and Corey Conners, in the groups just behind McIlroy, underlined that fact by both playing the first nine holes in three under yesterday, although both found it much tougher after the turn. McIlroy needed a fast start to round three to have any chance of a miracle fightback, but a bogey on the third meant he was quickly heading in the wrong direction. Another shot went at the ninth and even though he finally made his first birdie at the tenth, he gave it straight back by finding a bunker on the 11th. A rueful shrug of the shoulders was the only reaction when he missed a tiddler for par at the 14th. And another shot went with a three-putt on the 16th. The relatively easy 17th, where he demolished the tee marker 24 hours earlier, yielded a second birdie. Almost inevitably, that shot was handed back at the last, dropping the five-time Major winner to ten over. Asked what he was hoping for in his final round, McIlroy added: "Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here." 4 Rory McIlroy's form has fallen off a cliff since he won the Masters Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Rory McIlroy looking to 'get out' of disaster US Open
Rory McIlroy has defended himself for not speaking to media during the US Open as he admitted he has stopped caring about his tournament performance for the rest of the weekend. The Northern Ireland golfer completed a career Grand Slam when he was victorious at The Masters in Augusta earlier in the year, but has admitted struggles in getting his motivation back following the career highlight. The world number two became just the sixth player to achieve the career Grand Slam. Rory McIlroy has defended himself for not speaking to media during the US Open as he admitted he has stopped caring about his tournament performance for the rest of the weekend. Pic:With the US Open kicking off earlier in the week at Oakmont, the father-of-one refused media on a number of occasions later revealing he was avoiding the microphones 'a little more often.' He explained: 'I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do. I hope they don't change it [PGA Tour's non-enforcement of speaking to media] because it's a nice luxury to have. 'I'm just pointing out the fact that we have the ability to do it.' He explained that his game plan was to stay patient and 'try to do a good job' but admitted the golf courses being used can result in a 'pretty quick' loss of patience. Pic:The 36-year-old was at risk of an early exit from the major but just made the cut on Friday evening. The champion golfer finished the last two US Opens as the runner up, and has never finished worse than ninth place in the championship. He explained that his game plan was to stay patient and 'try to do a good job' but admitted the golf course being used can result in a 'pretty quick' loss of patience. He said: 'I've driven the ball better. I've driven the ball as good as I have in a long time, so that's at least a positive this week. I was hoping to play better, but I didn't.' Asked how he hoped to see out the US Open campaign, Rory answered: 'Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here.'
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
US Open: Sam Burns leads the field with one-shot lead over Spaun and Scott
America's Sam Burns holds a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the US Open after the third round at Oakmont. The 28-year-old world number 22 posted three birdies and two bogeys in his one-under 69 as he maintained his overnight lead and moved to four under par after 54 holes. Burns holds a one-shot lead over JJ Spaun and Adam Scott. American Ryder Cup player Burns exchanged the lead with his playing partner Spaun throughout a tense 18 holes, but took an outright lead when Spaun bogeyed the 18th after a wayward tee shot. READ MORE England's Tyrrell Hatton recorded a third-round 68, which propelled him up the leader board and in with a shot of winning a first major on Sunday night. He fired five birdies and sits five shots behind overnight leader Sam Burns. Hatton joked that the brutal Oakmont course at the US Open has brought everyone down to his level of mental fragility after bursting into contention going into the final round. Hatton is known for his tendency to explode, often breaking clubs and getting angry on the course. The punishing conditions of the famous course in Pennsylvania have tested the patience of all 156 players with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry among those who have lost their temper. 'I am five behind, a lot can happen out there. I would certainly be very happy with another 68,' said Hatton. 'We will see how it plays out. I'll try my best. To finish two under, I'm very happy.' Scotland's Robert MacIntyre is at three-over-par and still has '100 per cent' belief he can win on Sunday. MacIntyre described his opening round level-par 70 as one of the best of his life, but he bettered it just 48 hours later to card a 69. Asked if he can win, he replied: 'One hundred per cent. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe that, it's a simple answer, yes.' Rory McIlroy is cast among the also-rans, however, after his third round of 74 for a 54-holes total of 220, 10 over par. Elsewhere, Adam Scott rolled back the years in his pursuit of a first major in 12 years, firing a three-under-par 67 to be tied for second with Spaun. Viktor Hovland is the only other man in the red at one under. It is as you were for world number one Scottie Scheffler, who carded an even-par 70 to remain at four-over-par. Scheffler maintained he was still in contention after Friday's second round, but failed to make any ground on the leaders, his three birdies cancelled out by three bogeys. But he is still not giving up hope, saying: 'It's going to be really tough for me to catch them, but I think right now I'm seven shots back, which around this place, I mean, anything can happen. – PA
