Shane Lowry’s U.S. Open gaffe had entire group cracking up

OAKMONT, Pa. — Friday was not a good day for Shane Lowry. Although he wasn’t alone. The 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club has lived up to its reputation, and we’ll head into the weekend with just a few players under par.

Lowry, however, will not be around for the weekend. Back at the 2016 U.S. Open he held the 54-hole lead here and tied for second, but on Thursday he shot 79 and Friday was not much better.

He started the day bogey-double-bogey-bogey and, after the 4th hole, was caught in a hot-mic moment voicing his displeasure for the course.

Late in the day Friday, it had been a slog for the entire group. Lowry and Justin Rose were bound to miss the cut, although Rory McIlroy was still fighting for the weekend (he succeded). But Oakmont, it’s fair to say, was getting the best of these three European Ryder Cup pals.

At this point, for Lowry and Rose, at least, the goal was to just get it into the clubhouse. But Lowry might have been in too much of a rush.

Playing the par-4 14th hole, Lowry missed the green with his approach, chipped on to 55 feet away and walked up to the green. He then picked up his ball — but forgot to mark it. Check out the look he got from caddie Darren Reynolds:

Lowry, exhausted from the U.S. Open grind and a rough couple of days on the golf course, burst into laughter. So did McIlroy and Rose.

“That pretty much sums up the tournament there for Shane Lowry,” said former LPGA pro Mel Reid, the analyst on the Peacock stream.

Lowry had to wipe away tears he was laughing so hard. They called in a rules official and Lowry played from the same spot, although he was hit with a one-stroke penalty. Lowry hit his putt to a foot away and tapped in for a double-bogey 6, pushing him to 16 over for the week. He later signed fro 78.

As he walked up to hit his final putt, he appeared to say “that’s a 12” to his playing partners and the caddies. They laughed again.

Lowry won’t be alone when it comes to pros happy to leave this golf course Friday night.