Lowry urged to swear off rough language

AS Shane Lowry prepares to take his first steps as a professional golfer, he’s been advised by the European Tour to tone down his language.

It’s been revealed David Garland, director of tour operations at the European Tour, spoke with Lowry’s new manager, Conor Ridge, over Lowry’s language that was clearly picked up by TV microphones at the Irish Open last weekend.

Lowry was heard to utter the ‘F’ word on a couple of occasions during his dramatic charge to victory, including after playing his second shot at the eighth hole on the rain-drenched course.

The European Tour, like most major sporting bodies, has a strict code of conduct and there has been many instances of players being fined for bad language.

The great Seve Ballesteros was hauled before the players’ committee in 1999 and believed to have been fined more than €5,000 following his outburst after being disqualified from that year’s Italian Open. World number one Tiger Woods has also been fined by the US Tour for his colourful language.

But in contacting Ridge, Garland stressed he wished to take nothing away from Lowry’s stunning Irish Open success. If anything, it was for Ridge to remind his newest client to the extent pro tournament golf courses are wired for sound.

“I’ve asked Conor to advise Shane to be aware of the presence of boom microphones on the golf course at tournaments,” said Garland. “I also pointed out, as gently as possible, that, as a member of the European Tour, he’s now subject to the general members’ regulations guidelines, which all members sign up to when they join.

“But we don’t want it to diminish in any way from a fantastic achievement by Shane and a truly wonderful occasion at Baltray.

“So now he’s decided to join the Tour and take up his category, we wish him every success in future.

“He’s an exciting addition on to the Tour and we wish him every success.”