Lowry’s Open: Controversy & Confusion

Shane Lowry Hit With Controversial Penalty at Open Championship

A seemingly innocuous practice swing has landed golfer Shane Lowry in the midst of a rules controversy at the Open Championship. During the second round of the 153rd Open, a practice swing resulted in his ball moving slightly, leading to a two-stroke penalty that has sparked considerable debate.

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The incident occurred on the par-5 12th hole at Royal Portrush. Lowry, who was one under par for the tournament and within striking distance of the leaders, was preparing for his second shot from the native area left of the fairway. As he assessed his shot from the thick, wet grass, he placed his club behind his ball, drew back, and took a practice swing, grazing the grass just to the left of his ball.

Almost immediately after the club made contact with the grass, the ball appeared to move. Lowry, later stating that he didn’t notice the movement, stepped away from his address, then stepped back in and proceeded with his shot. However, the shot wasn’t as effective as he’d hoped. From the difficult lie, he could only advance the ball 144 yards into a fairway bunker on the left side of the hole.

Television Commentary and Rules Official Input

The television broadcast soon replayed Lowry’s practice swing, zooming in on the moment of impact. Commentator Dan Hicks observed, “It almost looked like this ball moved as he took a swipe here. You can see there’s a lot of moisture – yeah, it did move. It oscillated back.”

Joining Hicks in the commentary booth was R&A rules official Charlie Maran, who stated that they would need to determine whether Lowry caused the ball to move. He noted the wet grass and the possibility of the ball resting on a slope, emphasizing the need to ascertain the cause of the movement. Hicks interjected, pointing out that the timing seemed to indicate the ball moved directly after the swing.

Maran later added, “If it is deemed that he caused this ball to move then there will be a penalty.” When Hicks asked for his personal opinion, Maran admitted it looked “quite incriminating” but deferred to Grant Moir, director of the R&A rules department, for the final decision.

Echoes of Past Controversies

The situation drew comparisons to the Dustin Johnson incident at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont. In that instance, officials ruled that Johnson had caused his ball to move on the 5th green but didn’t inform him of the penalty until after the round. The USGA later apologized for the delay, acknowledging the “unnecessary ambiguity” it created.

In Lowry’s case, while the stakes weren’t as high as a major championship victory, the potential two-stroke penalty could significantly impact his chances of making the cut.

Lowry’s Reaction and the Ruling

Unaware of the unfolding controversy, Lowry continued his round. It wasn’t until he reached the 15th hole that the R&A informed him that his practice swing was under review and that they wanted to discuss it after his round. Despite the distraction, Lowry birdied the 15th and parred the remaining holes, initially believing he had shot a solid one-under 69.

After completing his round, Lowry reviewed the replay with a rules official. He felt the R&A had already decided to penalize him but participated in the review process. “They’re trying to tell me if it doesn’t move [as viewed by] the naked eye, if you don’t see it moving, it didn’t move,” Lowry recounted. “I told them I definitely was looking down towards the ball as I was taking that practice swing, and I didn’t see it move.”

Under a rule implemented in 2017, slow-motion replay should not be used to penalize a player if the movement couldn’t reasonably be seen with the naked eye and the player was unaware of a potential breach. However, Lowry accepted the penalty to avoid accusations of trying to circumvent the rules. “I can’t have my name talked about or tossed around like that,” he explained.

When asked if the ruling felt unfair, Lowry responded, “A little bit, but I’m not going to – if the ball moved and I caused it to move and it moved, it’s a two-shot penalty. The last thing I want to do is sit there and argue and not take the penalty and then get slaughtered all over social media tonight for being a cheat.”

Frustration and Moving Forward

Lowry also expressed some frustration with being notified of the situation three holes after it occurred. “Obviously you want to know if you’re on the cut mark,” he said, explaining how it affected his mindset on the later holes.

Despite the setback, Lowry remained determined. “I’m just going to have to take it. It’s a bad break. And move on,” he stated.

Following the penalty, Lowry stands at even par for the tournament, ten strokes behind the leader, Scottie Scheffler.

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