THE 153RD OPEN

July 18, 2025

Shane Lowry

Mixed Zone

Q. We've just seen, obviously, the ruling. You played so beautifully today. You didn't deserve that. Tell us just exactly what happened from your perspective.

SHANE LOWRY: Well, I didn't know anything happened until walking up the 15th fairway and then the rules official came over and told me that there was a possibility the ball moved on the 12th for my second shot. So I said -- I've asked him, how many shot penalty is that if it did, and he said, two. Obviously then I feel like I'm on the cut mark then, which is not very nice. I feel like I played well on the way in and then obviously waited to see.

I mean, yeah, I was in there with the rules official and wasn't arguing my case, but I'm disappointed that they don't have more camera angles on it. The one zoomed in slow motion -- they're trying to tell me if it doesn't move from the naked eye, if you don't see it moving, it didn't move. 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.

But I had to take the penalty because -- I'm still not sure, to be honest, whether it was or not, but I had to take the penalty because I can't have my name talked about or tossed around like that, and I just get on with it.

It's obviously very disappointing. I felt like I played really, really well today. And yeah, that's hard to take. Look, I'll just have to dust myself off and get out there tomorrow and give it a go.

Q. You were pretty much on the fringes of contention at 2-under par and now you're back close to where the cut mark is on level par --

SHANE LOWRY: Eight shots behind Scottie Scheffler isn't in the fringes of contention the way he's playing.

Q. I understand that, but just the fact that you had to deal with this after the rules official spoke to you on the 15th but you still kept your concentration and composure to make sure you made the cut, that has to be something you take --

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, I played great on the way in, hit some nice shots. Left it on the lip on 16 and 18, missed a good chance on 17, so it could have been different.

But yeah, look, it's a disappointing thing to happen to me, but that's golf. Onwards and upwards and give it a run this weekend.

Q. 63 last time you played on a Saturday in the Open at Portrush.

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, look, we'll see what the weather brings and see what happens tomorrow. But I'll go out there, I'll be a little bit earlier than I thought I was going to be. I'm going to miss the Lions game now, which is disappointing.

And yeah, I'll just do my best.

Q. Was the decision already made effectively before you even sat down?

SHANE LOWRY: I think they had their decision made, yeah.

Q. Did they just explain it to you then?

SHANE LOWRY: He didn't try -- I don't think they tried to -- yeah, I think they had it in their heads the ball moved, I caused it to move, it's a two-shot penalty. They only had one camera angle which was zoomed in at the ball. They had none of me actually full length, which we were looking for and needed. And yeah, it's just -- yeah.

Q. It must feel unfair.

SHANE LOWRY: 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.

Q. You're a player that's called shots numerous times on yourself.

SHANE LOWRY: I have, yeah, and I would have. If the ball moved, I would have called it on myself. My head was definitely looking down at the ball and I didn't see it moving. But I'm out there signing for a 72 there now.

Q. What did you actually do to move the ball because the club head didn't go that close to the ball?

SHANE LOWRY: It was like far from the ball. Apparently a blade of grass I hit and the ball moved. A dimple or something.

Q. Is it okay by you that they tell you that on the 15th?

SHANE LOWRY: I wasn't sure. I don't know to be honest. Like I always say, I'm going to have to sit back and kind of think about this now before I go to bed tonight. But yeah, I wasn't sure because obviously you want to know if you're on the cut mark, but I went from feeling like if I can make two or three birdies on the way in, which I felt like 15 and 17 were good chances, that I can push up that leaderboard. And then all of a sudden I'm playing 16, 17, 18 feeling like I'm on the cut mark, even though I was very happy to birdie 15. That was a big birdie for me after what happened.

But yeah, I'm just going to have to take it. It's a bad break. And move on.