Shane Lowry: 'I made over par but I don’t think I’m playing any bad golf at all'

NOT TOO BAD: Shane Lowry, of Ireland, hits from the fairway on the first hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

It was not the historic Masters week the Irish hoped to celebrate, as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry failed to secure the first green jacket for Ireland.

Lowry shot rounds of 73-74-75-74 to finish 8-over and tied 46th, his worst finish in the six times he made the cut in nine career Masters starts.

“Not very good. It’s over now. I’m a little disappointed, obviously,” Lowry said.

“Yeah, I played all right golf throughout the week, just made a lot of bogeys, a lot of bogeys. No big mistakes, nothing disastrous, just a lot of bogeys.

“Yeah, I just didn’t really hole my par putts when I needed to. When you do that early on around this course, you get behind the black ball, and it was just tough.”

Lowry said this was the toughest conditions he’s ever experienced at his favourite tournament, another lesson he hopes to put to use if he qualifies to return next year.

“Obviously, Masters week you put a lot of pressure on yourself, it means a lot,” he said. “But they all mean a lot, to be honest. Every tournament means a lot out here on tour.

“I think for me this week is probably the most special week of the year. Disappointed not to give it a decent run this year. Yeah, hopefully I have a few more years left of giving it a run out here.”

Lowry’s highlight of the week was the par-4 14th hole, which yielded only 31 birdies all week and its first eagle in eight years. Lowry made the eagle Saturday and birdied it Friday and Sunday, playing it in the same 4-under par he did all four par-5s.

“I played it 4-under this week, and I believe it played quite difficult,” he said. “Imagine if I didn't play it in 4-under. Seemed to have played that hole better than the par-5s.”

Lowry, who came into the week in form and hoping to contend, says he still feels like his game was up to snuff even if his scores were not.

“Look, the thing I need to take away from this week is … yes, I made over par for the tournament, but I don’t think I’m playing any bad golf at all,” he said.

“I think I’m thereabouts, I know that. I know that going forward over the summer I’ve played some good golf over the last few months, and I still have some good golf in me.

“Off the tee I’m as good as I’ve ever been. My iron play is very solid. My short game feels good. It’s all about holing a few putts. I felt great with the putter today, to be honest. I did an hour yesterday afternoon with my coaches, and I found something a little bit.

"I burnt the edge a lot early on, which is disappointing, but I hit some lovely putts. It was nice to stand over some 20-footers today and feel like I was actually going to hole them. Hopefully I can take that into next week.”