Shane Lowry came into the 2025 British Open looking sharp and ready to contend. With back-to-back rounds of 70 on the par-71 course, the 2019 champion looked poised for a serious weekend run. Sitting comfortably at 2-under heading into Saturday, the Irishman had momentum on his side. Then came Hole 11 — and with it, chaos.
During Friday’s second round, Lowry stood in the rough, preparing for his second shot on the par-4 11th. What should’ve been a routine practice swing turned into a rules debacle that sent shockwaves through Royal Troon.
As Lowry took his warm-up motion through the thick grass, sharp-eyed cameras caught something unsettling — his ball shifted ever so slightly. And that tiny movement? It ended up costing him big.
Ruling Rocks The Open Leaderboard
R&A officials didn’t take it lightly. After nearly 20 minutes of video review — with Lowry, Scottie Scheffler, and Collin Morikawa (his playing partners) standing by — the ruling came down. Penalty. Two strokes.
Originally carding a bogey on 11, the infraction pushed his score on the hole to a brutal triple-bogey. Just like that, Lowry plummeted from 2-under to even par. A tough pill to swallow, especially for a former champion navigating the tournament’s most critical stretch.
According to the R&A, it didn’t matter whether Lowry noticed the movement or intended it — the rules are crystal clear. If the player causes the ball to move, it’s a penalty. Intent isn’t required, and in this case, the ball’s subtle slide after his club passed through the grass was enough to trigger the ruling.
Frustration Boils Over
Earlier in the round, Lowry was overheard letting loose with a few choice words after a rough drive. Tensions were already high, and the penalty only poured fuel on the fire.
Lowry isn’t out of it yet, but the stumble on 11 could prove costly. Stay tuned. This Open just got a whole lot more interesting.
