Shane Lowry entered Saturday’s spherical of the Open Championship with a three-shot lead however walked off the golf course trailing by three. Royal Troon’s circumstances lastly received the very best of him.
He carded a 6-over 77 to drop to 1-under whole, plummeting him to solo ninth on the leaderboard. Billy Horschel leads the sector by one after he fired off a 2-under 69 to get to a 4-under total.
Lowry began sturdy on Saturday, however issues started to unravel as soon as he reached the par-3 eighth, higher often known as ‘The Postage Stamp.’
“Truthfully, it was brutal,” Lowry mentioned.
“For me, the eighth gap was killer, actually. Make par there, and you’ll nonetheless shoot 3 or 4-over and nonetheless be main the match. Simply pulled my wedge shot there. Look, I don’t know what to say. It was a grind. It wasn’t a lot enjoyable.”
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Picture by Jane Barlow/PA Photographs through Getty Photographs
The 2019 Open champion made a double bogey on that tiny 130-yard par-3 and didn’t get better.
Lowry dropped two extra photographs on the eleventh and twelfth. He made par on the par-4 thirteenth however dropped two extra strokes on 14 and 15. Lowry had 21 toes for par on the 18th, however his ball got here up simply quick, which induced him to drop yet another spot.
He defined how he had to make use of the motive force a lot on the again 9, which will be tough on a hyperlinks golf course.
“You’re standing on the 18th tee questioning if you happen to can really hit the golf green if you happen to can attain the golf green, and it’s 230 yards to the golf green,” he mentioned. “Keep in mind my driver pitched about 220 yards on the seventeenth gap. So, yeah, it’s not a lot enjoyable on the market.”
Like Dustin Johnson, many gamers described the again 9 as a few of the most difficult golf they’ve ever performed. Lowry seemingly agreed after his spherical as he vented his frustrations.
“It’s very tough. However you’d need to query why there wasn’t a few tees put ahead right now, to be trustworthy,” Lowry mentioned.
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“I feel 15 and 17—like 15 is 500 yards enjoying into that wind, it’s—yeah, they preserve making an attempt to make holes longer, but the very best gap on this course is about 100 yards.”
The Irishman is three photographs again, so he nonetheless has a shot at successful on Sunday, however he faces a a lot taller process.
“I’ve a job tomorrow and an identical probability to win this match,” he mentioned.
“Look, there’s little question I’m going to go on the market tomorrow pondering I can win the match, however it’s simply laborious proper now.”
Lowry acknowledged he wanted a few hours to course of and put together for the ultimate day of play.
He’ll play alongside Adam Scott at 8:45 a.m. ET within the remaining spherical.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. For extra golf protection, comply with us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. It’s also possible to comply with her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.