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Shane Lowry hit the luckiest Green in Regulation you’ll ever see

September 21, 2019

In this game, it is always better to be lucky than good. Shane Lowry is our most recent example.

The Open Champion hasn’t played his best golf since winning at Royal Portrush, and no, that doesn’t matter. But at the BMW PGA Championship, he was grinding to make the cut. After a first round 72, Lowry needed to shoot under par to play on the weekend. Well, he was one under during his second round when he smother-hooked an iron into trouble on the 8th hole.

At Wentworth, left of the 8th hole is dead in all kinds of ways. There’s a pond short and left, and left of that is a forest area. Nothing green to be found. That’s where Lowry’s ball was headed, but then he got lucky.

Lowry’s approach clanged off a tree, then dropped toward the railroad ties that protect the land from eroding into the pond. His ball bounced hard off the railroad ties — otherwise known as sleepers — and landed softly, where? Only on the green.

Lowry clearly was happy to be lucky rather than good, and he needed it! The Irishman would two-putt from there for a par, and finish his day with a 71, just enough to help him make the cut and play on the weekend. May the Summer of Shane Lowry continue…

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