'Speaking to people over the last few days, it’s like someone had passed away' - Lowry ready to move on

Irish golfer Shane Lowry was deeply moved by the outpouring of support he received following his disappointing finish at the Cognizant Classic. He revealed that a simple comment from his elder daughter, Iris, helped him gain perspective on the back-to-back double bogeys that cost him his first individual victory since 2022.

Lowry recounted a moment with Iris on her ninth birthday. As they were at Starbucks, a friend approached their car, and Lowry noted, "Speaking to people over the last few days, it’s like someone had passed away. When they see me, they're afraid to talk to me." His daughter, however, offered a refreshing perspective, asking, "Dad, why is everyone acting so sad that you finished second? Like, second's good." Lowry acknowledged the insight, adding, "She's like, ‘It's not like you finished last.’" While he admitted he "would have hoped to finish first, and I probably should have," he concluded, "So be it. We move on."

Lowry had expressed a desire to secure the win, particularly hoping to do so in front of his younger daughter, Ivy. Despite the crushing loss of a three-shot lead, he earned widespread commendation for his willingness to speak with the media afterward. He later confessed to enduring a sleepless Sunday night, grappling with the outcome, before finding solace in messages from his close friends and family.

He further shared that significant encouragement from a respected Irish sportsperson has reignited his determination, making him feel prepared to compete fiercely once more at this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

"It’s been tough, I’m not gonna lie," Lowry confessed. "Sunday night, I didn’t sleep at all. You replay all the scenarios and the regrets." Yet, he acknowledged his good fortune in having "a great support network." He added, "Some amazing people reached out to me over the 24 hours." A particularly impactful call came from an Irish sportsperson he greatly admires. "To hear other people have been in that situation, to hear their thoughts on it, and I think learn from it is the biggest thing," he noted. Despite the deep disappointment of "letting a tournament slip" that he felt was "in my hands," Lowry emphasized the competitive nature of the PGA Tour. "It’s so hard to win out here... We're playing the best tour in the world on the toughest golf courses. And I put myself out there, and unfortunately, I didn't deliver."

He remains focused on the future: "Hopefully, I can keep putting myself there. I think that's all I can do... and try to focus on the positives from last week." Lowry reflected, "I think I played for a lot of the tournament last week, some of the best golf of my whole career. And I felt so in control out there. And then it was, you know, one bad swing took it all away from me. But it is what it is. And we move on, onwards and upwards.”