Shane Lowry's near-five year partnership with caddie Brian 'Bo' Martin has come to an abrupt end, with Lowry now in need of a caddie for the weeks ahead.
The Offaly man first worked with Martin at the Portugal Masters in September 2018, and their partnership brought great success for Lowry, including his first Major win at the 2019 Open Championship, but things have grown more tense in recent weeks and months, and the pair have chosen to split just after the beginning of the 2023 season.
Shane Lowry splits from caddie Brian 'Bo' Martin
Shane Lowry's partnership with 'Bo' Martin brought the most successful period of the Irish golfer's career.
Martin became Lowry's caddie towards the end of 2018, and their partnership saw Lowry claim two European Tour Wins, as well as the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, and a Ryder Cup appearance in 2021.
Lowry's management would confirm on Monday night that the pair had split, and reports suggest that such a decision had been weighed up by Lowry and Martin for several weeks.
30 June 2021; Shane Lowry of Ireland and his caddie Brian Martin during the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Golf Championship - Pro-Am at Mount Juliet in Thomastown, Kilkenny. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Last year's Masters tournament at Augusta brought the first signs of tension in what had hitherto been a terrifically successful and friendly relationship. As Lowry struggled through his third round at the year's first Major, he threw a dig at Martin that was picked up by the TV cameras after a poor layup shot at the 13th:
What a fucking shit layup that was. Well done, well done Bo. Only 30 yards out. Well done.
The pair would be seen arm-in-arm by the concluding round on Sunday, but it appears as though tensions between Lowry and Martin have grown in the months since, making their split inevitable.
The decision for Lowry and Martin to split was said to be "amicable" by the Irish Independent, and comes after a poor start to the year for the Offaly native. Lowry failed to win a single one of his matches at the inaugural Hero Cup earlier in January, before stumbling to a 76 on the final day at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, when in contention for the win.
With the year's first major at Augusta a little over two months away, and a Ryder Cup on the horizon later this year, Shane Lowry will hope to have a new caddie onboard sooner rather than later.
After years of playing his best golf with Bo Martin by his side, it will certainly be strange to see Lowry with a new caddie for the 2023 season, and Irish golf fans will no doubt be sad to see Martin go.
SEE ALSO: Rory McIlroy Sinks Massive Putt On 18th To Top Patrick Reed In Desert Duel
