Shane Lowry faced a major test of nerves during Friday’s round at The Open Championship. The Irish golfer hit a bump on Royal Troon’s notorious 11th hole, nicknamed “The Railway,” but managed to steady his game and hold onto the lead.
Trouble started when Lowry lined up his second shot on the 11th. A cameraman’s movement caught his eye, throwing off his concentration. The result? A wayward shot that landed in the thick gorse to the left.
“I got a little bit distracted on the right just as I was over the shot,” Lowry explained later. “I kind of lost my train of thought.”
Visibly frustrated, Lowry shouted at the cameraman, “Just get back there! F—‘s sake!”
What followed was a 20-minute odyssey through golf’s rulebook. Shane Lowry hit a provisional ball onto the green, thinking his first shot was lost. But then a spectator found the original ball in the gorse, kicking off a complex rules situation.
R&A official Charlie Maran clarified: “You can declare a ball lost, but when it’s actually found, it is the ball in play.”
Lowry had to take a penalty for an unplayable lie, drop his original ball, and play his fourth shot from rough ground. This cost him a double bogey and his two-shot lead, tying him with Daniel Brown at 5-under.
But Lowry didn’t let the setback derail his round. He kept his cool, finishing strong with birdies on the 16th and 18th holes.
“I felt very calm and composed through that whole process,” Shane Lowry reflected. “It wasn’t a disaster. I was still leading the tournament.”
His resilience paid off. He ended the day with a 2-under 69, good for a two-shot lead at 7-under overall.
As of this moment, the leaderboard is stacked behind him. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler lurks five shots back, while stars like Billy Horschel, Xander Schauffele, and Jason Day are all in the mix. All eyes are on the Irishman to see if he can maintain his composure and claim the Claret Jug.
