Shane Lowry has addressed his remark after saying a group of volunteers “deserved to get hit” at the Irish Open.
The tournament’s winner made the comment after a stray tee shot, with shouts of “fore” heard from the tee box.
Lowry received fierce backlash online for the remark, with one commentator branding it as a “disgusting reaction”.
Despite the comments from fans, the Irishman did not apologise and feels marshals do “get a little bit in the way”.
He told the Irish Examiner: “It’s funny, right, because marshals obviously have a very tough job, and they are volunteers.
“But they get a little bit in the way at times, I feel like. And 18 was just two guys going across the fairway as I’m trying to hit the shot, and it’s playing really hard.
“There’s another guy walking… but anyways, you have to do a little bit yourself. But it was carnage out there.
“The 18th tee shot for me, I practiced on Monday. I hit a tee shot 50 yards left out-of-bounds, and for the rest of the week that’s all I could think about on that tee. It was quite an anxious tee box for me.
Shane Lowry doubled down on his comment, saying volunteers ‘deserved to get hit’ with a golf ball
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REUTERS
“And even today [Sunday], I had a 10-shot lead, and I was like, I just can’t wait to get this tee shot over and done with.”
Lowry cruised to victory in the Irish Open with a record 11-shot win at 23-under par, which came after shooting a course-record 62 on Friday.
US President Donald Trump presented the Irishman with the trophy after being in Ireland on a two-day visit.
The win saw Lowry get his second Irish Open after winning in 2009 as an amateur.
Lowry won the Irish Open with an incredible performance
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REUTERS
Speaking after the win, he told Sky Sports: “To come here this week and do this, like come on. I don’t know. I just don’t do things by half measures.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here, [looking at] that leaderboard. My God. I didn’t know how I was doing. I said to my caddie after holing 15: ‘How far ahead are we?’ He said: ‘Far enough.’ So I was happy with that.
“A lot of things went right for me. But this has been the most spectacular week. It’s just mad. I can’t believe it. My mum’s just standing there, it’s been unreal.”
Lowry’s last individual win came at the BMW PGA Championship in 2022, after beating good friend Rory McIlroy and Spaniard Jon Rahm by one shot.
Donald Trump presented the Irishman with the winning trophy
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PAThe Irishman added: “My wife and my kids are back in Florida.
“When things are not going well at this level, it’s hard at home as well, but my wife has been a huge support and my kids, I love them so much.
“I’m so happy for them. I can’t wait to bring a trophy home.
“My daughter is always asking: ‘When are you going to bring a trophy home?’ So I’m going to bring a trophy home.”
