Shane Lowry might find himself in trouble after a surprising remark was caught on the microphone at the Irish Open.
Shane Lowry has faced a lot of criticism after he was reportedly heard saying, “they deserve to get hit,” about a group of volunteers following a wayward shot at the Irish Open.
Right now, Lowry is leading the tournament at home after shooting a great 65 on Saturday, putting him four shots ahead of Jacob Skov Olesen. The 39-year-old has been playing fantastic golf, but a surprising moment on the par four 18th hole at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel has cast a shadow over the day.
In the video, Lowry hooks his tee shot to the left. His caddie, Dermot Byrne, quickly shouts “Fore! Fore!” to warn the volunteers standing near the fairway. But shortly after, Lowry can be clearly heard saying, “They deserve to get hit,” according to Balls.Ie.
Many fans on social media have criticized the comment. One wrote, “This is shocking from Shane Lowry! He should be fined for this.” Another said, “He wouldn’t have said that early in his career. The fans who support him deserve an apology.” A third added, “An apology is definitely needed.”
Lowry is aiming to win his second Irish Open this weekend, 17 years after his first win when he beat Robert Rock in a playoff as a 22-year-old amateur. After saving par on the 18th, he said, “I’m feeling good. I felt great out there. I was just staying focused shot by shot and doing my thing.
“It’s a big day tomorrow. Leading my home tournament means a lot, and I want to win it. I’ll just keep my head down, get ready for my tee time at 2:05 pm, and give it my best.”
He added, “I think I did a great job today staying in the moment and playing my game. I had so much fun on the back nine. The crowd was amazing and cheered me all the way. Hopefully, they’ll keep supporting me tomorrow too.”