Much like his European Ryder Cup brethren Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry has never been one to hide his frustrations on the golf course. When things are going bad, he’s going to take it out on someone or something. A volunteer, a marshal, an “ESPN guy”, the turf at Quail Hollow, etc.
On Thursday at Oakmont, Lowry claimed his latest victim – a microphone left of the par-4 17th green.
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The Irishman began his day with pars at 10 and 11 but then bogeyed the par-5 12th, one of just two par 5s on the property. Four holes later, a missed five-footer for bogey at the par-3 16th led to a disastrous Day 1 double-bogey, dropping him to three-over. The short par-4 17th provided a perfect opportunity to get one back, especially after Lowry drove it greenside, setting up a 46-yard chip.
Unfortunately, that chip had to come from Oakmont’s impossibly-thick rough. Lowry took a huge backswing only to advance the ball 17 feet:
Nearly drove the green on 17… then didn't get it out! 😬 pic.twitter.com/pyX5Eb3xho
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 12, 2025
Then came the microphone throw:
Shane Lowry is not enjoying Oakmont https://t.co/BZ27ErRFrk pic.twitter.com/aCAR9Dt6iO
— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) June 12, 2025
In fairness, that thing was clearly in the way of his next shot, though a simple lifting and placing would have gotten the job done here. Those things are expensive.
Things could have gotten really ugly after Lowry’s third shot, which rolled through the green and, luckily, came to rest in the intermediate rough. The former Open winner proceeded to chip in for an eventful par:
An impressive par save nonetheless for Shane Lowry! pic.twitter.com/5Np6WDezYE
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 12, 2025
Lowry went on to bogey No.18 for an opening nine-hole score of four-over 39. Certainly not how he envisioned his week getting started, but it’s still very, very early.
