“You just can’t do that if you want to win tournaments like this.”
Shane Lowry is hoping the weather can finally take a turn for the brighter, in Georgia, and that he can make some sort of final day charge on the leading pair.
Lowry started off his third round at the 2022 Masters five shots back from halfway leader Scottie Scheffler. He got, briefly, as close as three back but ended up seven adrift of the American. Lowry was +1 for his third round while Scheffler had a steady -1.
After eight holes, it looked as if the biggest threats to Scheffler winning his first green jacket would come from Lowry or Charl Schawrtzel, who holed out for a spectacular back-spin eagle during his round. When the dust had settled, both men were back on -2 for the tournament while Australia’s Cam Smith was -6, just three off Scheffler.
Lowry got as low as -5 with two birdies in his first six holes. He was in the groove and striking the ball well. Then, it went awry on the ninth hole.
His drive was on the money but, from around 100 yards out, he then did not have enough behind his approach to the green. The ball land right on the fringe [circled below] but spun back a further 15 yards back.
Shane Lowry reflects on poor closing 10 holes
Lowry over-cooked his chip back on, then two-putted for bogey. He was still in the hunt, at that stage, but a further bogey on 13 saw him get irate and he also bogeyed 17.
In his post-round interview with Sky Sports, and in the media tent with the travelling golf reporters, Lowry had the demeanour of a man that had heard opportunity knock but not seized it.
“It’s hard,” he admitted. “I’m playing the best golf I’ve ever played, and how many times do I get a chance to play the best golf I’ve ever played at Augusta in the Masters?
“I was quite bullish about my game going out there today, and felt ready to kind of take on Scottie and I just didn’t do it. Last 10 holes just wasn’t good enough, and it’s unfortunate.”
On that bogey on the ninth, which stalled the momentum he had gathered all the way back from his chip-in for birdie on 10, on Friday, he commented:
“I just hit a few bad shots. Like 9, like geez, I was bouncing… like I was feeling great about my game. Honestly, first tee, no nerves, nothing. Felt so comfortable out there, and that just seemed to kill all my momentum that I had.
“You know, I just lipped out on 8 for birdie, feeling really good, and 99 yards to the flag, I mean, most stupidest shot I’ve hit in a while. You just can’t do that if you want to win tournaments like this.”
Lowry is tied for 4th heading into the final round, but would now need Scheffler and Smith to falter to have any chance of winning a first green jacket.
“To be honest, I haven’t looked at the forecast, but I do believe it’s better. Augusta, I would imagine, there will be a few easier pins. That’s what they like to do, I think, on Sundays…
“What’s possible? There’s a 65 out there in good conditions, but it just depends what the other guys ahead of me do.”
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