[Photos: Andrew Redington]<\/p>\n
Shane Lowry spoke powerfully after a 72nd hole meltdown cost him at least a spot in a playoff at the DP World Tour\u2019s Dubai Invitational, where he and Rory McIlroy were among the big names upstaged by Spain\u2019s Nacho Elvira.<\/p>\n
RELATED: This insane par save helped steady Nacho Elvira enough to beat Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry in Dubai<\/a><\/p>\n Lowry stood on the tee tied for the lead at 10-under-par at the water-laden 18th hole at Dubai Creek, before blasting a neat fade down the left side and into the first cut. A simple wedge shot from 127 metres would have left two putts for a playoff with Elvira. Or, better yet, one putt for a long-awaited victory.<\/p>\n Then, in Lowry\u2019s words, disaster struck. Twice. The Irishman took an extra club for his approach and sent it long into a greenside bunker. From there, his sand shot pitched a metre too far and the ball rolled past the hole and down into a water hazard. A double-bogey 6 relegated the 2019 Open champion to eight-under and T-3 alongside McIlroy.<\/p>\n Lowry tappade ledningen efter en rej\u00e4l groda p\u00e5 sista h\u00e5let \ud83e\udee3<\/p>\n I st\u00e4llet fick Nacho Elvira fira s\u00e4songspremi\u00e4ren med familjen \ud83c\udfc6\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 pic.twitter.com\/UKLVJMLtDf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Viaplay Golf (@ViaplayGolfSE) January 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n He spoke to reporters after shooting 69 to finish two behind Elvira, who earned his third career DP World Tour victory. New Zealand\u2019s Daniel Hillier finished second at nine-under.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was a disaster, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d a visibly shaken Lowry said. \u201cWhat can you do? You have to learn from it and move on, lads. This game is\u2026 I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s the start of my 18th season on tour and I\u2019ll never figure it out.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried my best. I did everything I could and hit the wrong club in the last, and that cost me a playoff. I was just trying to hit a soft 9 [-iron]. To be fair, if you hit a wedge at the flag and it comes out a little softer, it goes into the water [short of the green] and in hindsight I probably would have been better doing that because you can get it up and down from there.<\/p>\n \u201cI hit a shocking shot. It\u2019s not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Rory McIlroy bogeys 18 and loses by two. Nacho Elvira goes birdie-par to secure his third DP World Tour victory. \ud83d\udc51 pic.twitter.com\/PoMODbE6DZ<\/a><\/p>\n — GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) January 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
Shane Lowry double-bogeys 18 and loses by two.<\/p>\n