Mixed emotions for Shane Lowry after Masters adventure

Shane Lowry left Augusta National with a smile thanks to a final-day ace but it masked the disappointment of not playing to his potential at The Masters.

Lowry was one of three players (Davis Love III and Louis Oosthuizen were the others) to ace the par-three 16th on Sunday, earning him a commemorative crystal bowl from the tournament. While that shot will be a treasured memory, there was the series of “what-ifs” after a tie for 39th finish.

Lowry, now up one place to 31 in the world rankings, had been right in the mix after an opening four-under-par 68 left him in a tie for second.