The Open: Shane Lowry fumes at R&A after wild Saturday

Shane Lowry saw his bid for a second Open victory derailed by Mother Nature during a wet and wild third round – then blasted the championship organisers for their part in his stumble.

Lowry, the winner of the Claret Jug in 2019, began Saturday with a two-shot advantage but an error-strewn 77 in the worst of the conditions leaves him trailing by three.

Afterwards, the Irishman was scathing in his assessment of the way Royal Troon had been set-up, insisting the R&A should have moved some tees up.

“Playing a par-3 hitting drivers is not much craic,” groused Lowry. “Roll the ball back, huh?

“I don’t really know what to say. It was a grind. It wasn’t much fun.

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“Driver, driver into 15. Sixteen playing ridiculously long. Driver into 17. Then you’re standing on the 18th tee wondering if you can actually hit the fairway, if you can reach the fairway, and it’s 230 yards to the fairway.

“Bear in mind my driver pitched about 220 yards on the 17th hole. So, yeah, it’s not much fun out there.”

Asked where Saturday ranks amongst the hardest days he’s ever faced on a golf course, he said: “I don’t know. Circumstantial as well, it’s obviously very difficult.

“But you’d have to question why there wasn’t a couple of tees put forward today, to be honest.

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“I think 15 and 17 — like 15 is 500 yards playing into that wind.

“They keep trying to make holes longer, yet the best hole in this course is about 100 yards.”

Lowry’s sentiments were echoed by veteran caddie Craig Connelly.

The Scot, who has been on the bag for multiple major wins and Ryder Cups, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “When the best players in the world struggle to reach the fairway then I’m afraid that’s down to poor course set up by officials.

“Remember, it’s NOT the same for everyone therefor it’s unfair. And drivers into par 3s = shit!”

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Head of Content