It wasn't the best of days for Shane Lowry. Actually, you could say it was an unmitigated disaster. Amateur golfers across the world know how bad it can feel after a bad day on the course, and Lowry is no different.
In fact, he was extremely candid about his feeling on his opening round at the Open, and you can't help but feel sympathy for the likeable golfer.
I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
We all know the feeling. Usually happens after topping the ball with people watching, or god forbid - a fresh air. But for a professional to admit that? That's rare, where did that come from? Especially after Lowry was in such good form at the US Open not too long ago. The Offaly man opened up on his feelings, and it felt like once he got started, he kept going on:
I was playing absolutely fine in practice, it just came out of nowhere. It is hard. It is disappointing. It is just so, so disappointing.
I’ve built myself up for a few weeks for this, really looking forward to get out there, nice weather, it was easy.
I just felt so uncomfortable out there, drove the ball poorly for me. I can’t remember the last time I drove the ball like that, one of those things, nothing really went for me.
It's really hard not to feel for Lowry. He's probably the most likeable golfer on tour and it's never nice to see anyone feel like that. But Lowry wasn't finished describing his anguish:
That's as lonely as I felt on a golf course in a while. Certainly in the last part of my round, I felt quite weird, it's hard to describe it. I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me to be honest. That's the way I was feeling. I didn't think I was going to hit a good shot, which was weird.
The 11th hole, which was by far the hardest of the day. The par 4 had a scoring average of 4.70 which included nine birdies, 45 bogeys, 25 double bogeys, and three 9's. Lowry took a double bogey six, but standing on the tee - he knew it was going to be bad:
I stood on the 11th tee and I said to Dermot - 'I actually don't know where this is going'. It is the hardest tee-shot in the world, it's not a nice place to be in, and you feel as if you have the whole world watching.
Lowry said it was one of those days when there wasn't much he could take from the day. There were some nice shots - he had one birdie on the ninth.
That’s the only thing I can say, there’s not many positives. In fact, there’s probably none to take out of the round.
Lowry said that it's nothing to do with a hangover from the US Open. He did acknowledge one of the best weeks of his golfing career was also the worst - but he took a lot from it. There's a sense that he's a little tired, and he did say that he was looking forward to a break after the US PGA.
But then Lowry said the most heartbreaking thing a professional player can say:
I was having lunch with my coach there and saying I feel like the game just keeps disappointing me week after week.
Come on Shane, we're behind you.
[Irish Examiner]
See Also: Watch: Graeme McDowell Ruins Shane Lowry Putt With Superbly Accurate Bastardry
Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
