a day ago
Frazzled Shane Lowry forgets to mark ball on green at U.S. Open
OAKMONT, Pa. — The U.S. Open at Oakmont can do many things to a player's mind, and apparently it did them all to Shane Lowry on Friday, when the burly Irishman forgot to mark his ball before picking it up on the 14th green.
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After a stunned moment of bewilderment and an awkward glance at his caddie, Lowry smiled, took off his hat and wiped his brow before looking at his playing partner and friend Rory McIlroy and having a laugh.
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Oakmont is taking its toll.
Shane Lowry forgot to mark his ball on the 14th green before picking it up.
— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) June 13, 2025
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It likely wouldn't have been quite as funny had Lowry not teed off on the hole at 14-over par. Once the penalty was added to his bogey, the 2019 Open Champion walked to the 15th tee at 16-over for the week.
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The rules of golf are quite lenient when it comes to marking your ball. You can mark it in behind the ball, in front of the ball, beside the ball. You can use a ball marker, or a coin, or a poker chip; you can even use a can of beer. Even holding your putter next to the spot while you clean your ball is okay, provided it doesn't move.
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But you can't, and this part is quite clear, use nothing like Lowry did on Friday.
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Before you get too wild, and we know many of you have tried, you also can't use objects you find on the green such as a twig, a leaf, or a stone. It has to be any artificial object 'used, worn or held by a player or player's caddie.'
