SHANE LOWRY finished one shot behind Sepp Straka at the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour and feels that he had the tournament stolen from him with the worst break off his career.
The Offaly native led Straka for most of the back nine and didn't produce a bogey, but the Austrian came out on top with birdies on 14, 16 and 18.
Lowry was tied for the lead at 9-under par when he reached the 18th tee box. Up ahead, Sepp Straka had just blasted a 334-yard drive on the par-5 finishing hole.
With rain suddenly turning into a heavy downpour, Straka put his second shot on the green. While the Austrian was walking up to survey his eagle putt, Lowry pulled his tee shot only 241 yards into the left rough.
Straka narrowly missed his eagle putt, but tapped in for birdie to reach 10 under. Lowry, forced to lay up, hit his third shot to 43 feet and was unable to make the birdie putt, settling for solo second.
The lead belongs to @ShaneLowryGolf. 🔝
Third birdie of the day and out front by 1. pic.twitter.com/2isFYezu7C— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2022
Speaking to Reuters, Lowry felt the weather conditions played a big part and decided the event.
“It’s hard to take, to be honest,” Lowry said
“I feel like I’ve got the tournament stolen from me today. I played the golf perfectly to win the tournament, and that’s this game sometimes and that’s this level.
“That was as bad a break as I’ve ever got. Especially when you’re standing on the tee and you see him over that left bunker, which I would’ve been able to do if there was no rain.”
The 34-year-old is now ranked 35th in the world and hope that Augusta in April will show him more luck
“Look, it is what it is. It’s a great week for me,” he said. “I’m very happy where my game is at. It’s a really nice week to take into The Players now.
“Like the next 24 hours will be tough, but my kids are here and my family. I’ll get on with my life tomorrow and I’ll be fine.”
Shane Lowry: Honda Classic 'stolen from me' by downpour | Reuters https://t.co/43DsTHWguq pic.twitter.com/fHVO42Ohzd
— Zyite (@ZyiteGadgets) February 28, 2022
