In Oakmont, Pennsylvania, Shane Lowry found himself embroiled in a challenging situation at the U.S. Open held at Oakmont Country Club. Over the course of 32 holes, the demanding course gave Lowry a tough time. However, a simple mistake led to even more trouble.
While playing on the 14th green, Lowry picked up his ball without marking its position, which resulted in a costly one-stroke penalty. Reflecting on the incident, Lowry described it as “probably one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done.” This penalty turned his score on that hole into a double bogey, contributing to an overall performance of 17 over par throughout the tournament.
Lowry recalled the moment vividly, recounting how he picked up the ball and turned towards his caddie, Darren Reynolds, who promptly questioned his actions. In hindsight, despite the mishap, this blunder did manage to inject a bit of humor into an otherwise difficult day for Lowry. After carding a score of 79 in the opening round, Lowry’s performance slightly improved in the second round.
According to Rule 14.1, picking up a ball without marking it leads to a one-stroke penalty. Once the mistake was pointed out, Lowry and his playing companions, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, shared a brief moment of laughter. Seeking clarity, Lowry inquired with a rules official about the appropriate course of action next. He was advised to replace the ball and continue from there.
After doing so, Lowry narrowly missed a 55-foot putt that included the penalty stroke, a putt that would have saved him from a bogey. This blunder starkly contrasted Lowry’s prior experience at Oakmont in 2016 when he played in the final group. However, this year, with his score already poorly positioned, it became apparent that making the cut was unlikely, perhaps contributing to his momentary lapse on the 14th hole.
Reflecting on the incident, Lowry admitted, “I put it back down and marked it, and played on. I knew I was going to get penalized. I didn’t know whether it was going to be one or two,” adding that his mind might have drifted elsewhere in that moment.