IRISH GOLFER Shane Lowry has explained he is looking to win the Honda Classic in Florida to honour the memory of his uncle Jimmy Lowry, who passed away suddenly this week.
The Clara native's father's late brother Jimmy passed away aged 66 this week and after day three of the PGA event, Shane Lowry paid tribute to his late uncle, who was a Gaelic football fanatic with Ferbane GAA club(Offaly).
Lowry ended day three of the event with a five-under 65, four shots behind American Chris Kirk on Saturday.
The golfer admitted that he wanted to go home from the event after hearing the news about his uncle but also said that he was talked out of heading home.
He now aims to win the event in Florida for his uncle.
Shane Lowry admitted he will be playing to honour the memory of his uncle Jimmy Lowry when he chases down Chris Kirk in the final round in the Honda Classic https://t.co/WZZvK8zU6i
— Independent Sport (@IndoSport) February 26, 2023
"It's very sad week for our family. To be honest, I wanted to go home on Thursday when I heard the news. A lot of people talked me out of it. (But) I'm here now," said the Offaly man.
"I'm trying to play for him and play for his wife and his kids and my cousins and my uncles and my aunts and everyone at home because we're a very close family and very proud of our name and very proud of where we come from. Green and white is just where he's from, that's Ferbane in Offaly.
"Hopefully I can go out and make him proud tomorrow. Everyone keeps telling me how proud he was of me over the last number of years, and hopefully I can do him another day proud tomorrow.
Adding further on the type of man Jimmy Lowry was, Shane explained how he loved his GAA and his standing in the local community.
"He's two years older than my dad, so he's 66. He's just a great man. He loved working. He loved hard work. He loved hardship. He was big into Gaelic games at home, "added the golf star.
He didn't necessarily play at the highest level, but he was very involved and loved in the community, and he was just a great man. He was great craic, and I loved him".
Lowry tees off at 6.25pm Irish time on Sunday.
