"Worn out" Lowry ready for family Christmas after big numbers prove costly in season finale
Shane Lowry watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (Robert Beck/USGA)
SHANE LOWRY confessed he's "worn out" and looking forward to his six-week Christmas after adding a second triple bogey of the week to a string of big numbers in a disappointing finish to his season at the Hero World Challenge.
The Clara man made was four-under for his round with three holes to go when he racked up a triple bogey seven at the 16th and carded a 71 that left him 18th in the 20-man field on five-over par.
The world number 20 had two double bogeys as he finished 17 shots behind Jon Rahm in tied 23rd at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
But he was even more erratic at Albany, Bahamas, where he had four double and two triple bogeys. In the end, he finished 21 shots behind Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland, who retained his title when he found water with his approach to the 18th but made a 15-footer for bogey, a three-under 69 and a two-shot win over Scottie Scheffler, who shot 68, on 16-under-par.
"Home for Christmas and that's all I am thinking about, so excited to be getting home to be with the families," said a smiling Lowry as he counted the cost of his late-season mistakes.
"I don't think I have ever had so many bogeys and double-bogeys or whatever than I have in these last two tournaments. I'm happy where my game's at, but as I've been saying, I'm worn out and that's me done until Abu Dhabi next year."
Hovland was five clear when Scheffler racked up a double bogey seven at the ninth. But the Masters champion birdied the 11th, 14th, 15th and 16t to get within two shots of the Norwegian playing the last.
Hovland pulled a six iron from a tough lie and caromed off rocks in the water but Scheffler put his approach in waste area and ended up making bogey after his third ran off the green and Hovland had made that clutch putt for bogey.
It was an opportunity missed for Masters champion Scheffler, who needed to win to knock Rory McIlroy off the top of the world rankings though the Northern Ireland star is still forecast to finish the year as world No 1.
There are still two events remaining on the DP World Tour schedule this year and Tom McKibbin is looking forward to them after claiming his second top-20 finish in as many starts when he tied for 15th in the Investec South African Open in Johannesburg.
The Holywood rookie (19) birdied the last two holes at Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, closing with a three-under 69 to finish eight shots behind Thriston Lawrence on eight-under.
It's a sign of McKibbin's talent he could follow his tie for 18th in his first DP World Tour start with a B-level game and still rack up another top-20 finish.
"It was okay," said McKibbin, who was 18th in the Joburg Open and remains in South Africa for this week's Alfred Dunhill Championship. "I played alright. I didn't really putt great. Everything was a wee bit all over the place. But it was okay. A solid week for not having my best stuff. So let's see if I can tidy it up a wee bit for next week at Leopard Creek."
Fellow rookie Gary Hurley could be pleased with his tie for 35th (€9,562) on five-under after he eagled the 18th for the third day running to salvage a 73.
“Good week,” said Hurley, who joins McKibbin at Leopard Creek. “I didn’t have my best to be honest! Happy with my application though.”
As for Lawrence, last season's Rookie of the Year, he held a five-shot lead with seven holes to play but only edged out Clément Sordet by a shot on 16-under after an error-strewn finish, carding a 74 to the Frenchman's 73.
Meanwhile, Portmarnock's Conor Purcell clinched the best finish of his career and €28,418 when he tied for seventh behind Horizon Irish Open champion Adrian Meronk of Poland in the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne.
Purcell (25) closed with a one-over 71 as Meronk eagled the last and shot a four-under 66 to win by five shots from overnight leader Adam Scott, who shot 72, on 14-under at Victoria Golf Club.
"It was a great week and I enjoyed every minute of it," said Purcell after finishing on five-under-par. "It was nice to get myself in the second last group on a Sunday. The crowds were amazing and the support from all the Irish down in Melbourne was incredible.”
Australian in Min Woo Lee was third on eight-under and earned a spot in The Open at Royal Liverpool alongside Spaniard Alejandro Cañizares Australia's Haydn Barron, who tied for fourth on seven-under.
South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai shot 73 to win the Women's event by one stroke from South Korean Jiyai Shin on 12-under, while Kipp Popert won the Australian All Abilities Championship by seven shots from Canada's Kurtis Barkley on two under.
Louth’s Brendan Lawlor tied fourth, 15 shots behind Popert, after a 78.
