2025 was a year of near misses for Shane Lowry, who was ultimately left frustrated by his performances across the season’s Major championships.

Though the Ryder Cup-sealing putt will be remembered among Lowry’s career-defining moments, it came after a year when he had made several outbursts across the four Majors.

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At three of the four Majors, Lowry was picked up on course-side mics shouting “f*ck this place” as he ran into difficulty, summing up how he had allowed his frustrations to bubble over.

The most notable of those came at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, where his ball landed in another golfer’s divot at the 8th and he was refused relief. Lowry would hack at the grass in frustration after a shanked approach shot which eventually saw him bogey the hole.

So notable was that incident, in fact, that the rules were changed shortly thereafter, something Lowry was keen to joke about in an interview at the Dubai Desert Classic this week.

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Shane Lowry jokes about two rule changes he caused

Shane Lowry spoke to Dan Rapaport in Dubai this week and, naturally, he was asked about the x-rated outbursts that had been picked up on course-side mics last season.

Has to ask Shane about FOOK DIS PLACE 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/f7U7GWDZix

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) January 22, 2026

Lowry explained that there are simply courses on the calendar that he does not like, and was unabashed in saying he felt justified in his outburst after three-putting at the US Open at the brutal Oakmont course.

 

There’s certain courses that I don’t like.

It’s funny, because obviously I finished second at Oakmont the last time. I’m at Oakmont and I’m saying it. But I’m at about 12 over par for the tournament, what do you want me to say?

I remember that hole as well, I hit a lovely wedge into ten feet on the par five to the back left pin, and I three-putted. What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say, ‘Oh, this is great! It’s so much fun out here shotting 12 over and made look like an idiot!’

That was not the most notable of his outbursts in 2025, however.

Lowry would note that two of his most controversial incidents over the course of last year’s Majors had eventually led to significant changes to the golf rule book.

My other one was at Quail Hollow when my ball was in the plug mark. They changed the rule!

Two rules were changed because of me last year.

The one where my ball moved at Portrush, that’s changed now as well.

I’m just changing the game!

The two incidents Lowry refers to both earned significant attention at the time.

The aforementioned meltdown at the PGA Championship came after Lowry’s ball had landed in another player’s pitchmark, making his approach to the green significantly more challenging.

Shane Lowry wasn’t happy after this shot having not been given relief for an embedded ball 😠 pic.twitter.com/k1BU8wZVIV

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 16, 2025

The opening events of this year’s PGA Tour have been the first with new rules in place that would have saved Lowry at Quail Hollow last year.

Now, golfers can claim relief if their ball lands in another player’s unrepaired divot, something that would saved Shane Lowry much frustration at last year’s PGA Championship.

One of the major flashpoints of last year’s Open Championship at Portrush also revolved around Lowry, and has seen a major rule change enacted for 2026 and beyond.

Lowry was controversially docked two shots at the course where he won the 2019 Open, after unintentionally causing his ball to move while taking a practice swing from the rough.

Sure looks like Shane Lowry’s ball moved on the practice swing here pic.twitter.com/qXkc8e1sTJ

— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) July 18, 2025

The two-shot penalty was extremely harsh, but that rule has now also been changed.

Previously, the standard was to penalise players by two shots if they caused their ball to move, knowingly or unknowingly, and then played their next shot without replacing the ball.

Now, the penalty will be only one shot if the player is unaware they have caused their ball to move.

They’re long overdue changes, and Shane Lowry may have played a significant role in seeing them come to fruition.

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