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topicnews · July 18, 2025

British Open: Shane Lowry punishes 2 shots in golf rules?

British Open: Shane Lowry punishes 2 shots in golf rules?


Did Shane Lowry move his ball?

This is the question that was not answered immediately after Lowry's ball was so easily moved after an exercise swing in his second shot in 11th place during the second round of the British Open. Look at yourself:

The R&A, which the British rules openly, did not immediately make a judgment and told Lowry when he went up the 15th Fairway that they would wait until the end of his round to see the film material with him and then make a determination. Lowry, who says he didn't see the ball, noticed anything until the official of the rules on the 15th approached him.

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“I asked him how many shooting punishment is when this was the case and he said two,” said Lowry. “Obviously I have the feeling that I am on the cut brand, which is not very nice. I have the feeling that I played perfectly on the way and then obviously waited to see.”

After meeting Lowry and his play partners, Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler rated the R&A Lowry with a 2-shot penalty. Lowry, who last won, when the Open took place in Royal Portrush, ended his round with 2 lessons for the tournament. He is now at the same time.

Lowry said afterwards that it was his opinion that the civil servants' rules had decided before the meeting.

“They try to tell me whether it is not moving from the naked eye if it didn't move it, it didn't move,” said Lowry. “I told them I definitely look down to the ball when I did this exercise swing and I didn't see it moved.

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“But I had to take the penalty because … I haven't spoken my name or threw it around, and I'm just coming.”

The rules were a little relaxed when it came to a ball that accidentally moved. It is not a cut off. USGA rules that the R&A recognizes enable the forbearance in relation to “natural forces”, including water and gravity. The grass under Lowry's ball was certainly wet when rain defeated royal portrus all day.

It didn't seem that Lowry was aware that his ball was moving, and the only reason why someone saw it is the technology.

Does it look like Lowry has moved the ball? Probably. But could someone determine this with absolute certainty? Apparently the R&A did.

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“When the ball moved and I moved it and moved it, it is a two-shot penalty,” said Lowry. “The last thing I want to do is to sit there and argue and not to take the punishment and then be slaughtered on social media this evening because they are fraudulent.”