Shane Lowry's off to a mixed start at the US Open

OPENING ROUND: Shane Lowry plays a shot from the 12th tee during the first round. Pic: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Shane Lowry experienced the rollercoaster emotions of Oakmont in the most spectacular fashion as a stunning hole-out eagle from 160 yards breathed life into a torturous opening round at the US Open.

The Offaly native, among many pundits’ picks for the third major of the year, was toiling through his Thursday morning in Pittsburgh, already 4-over through his first 10 holes. He’d taken some of his frustrations out on a fairway microphone on the 17th, his 8th hole.

Lowry just nearly drove the 17th, pitched it from rough to rough, duffed it out, through a microphone, then holed a chip for par. What a ride 😅

pic.twitter.com/462x7ZwvSJ

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) June 12, 2025

Then on the par-4 2nd, his 11th of the morning, he carded an ugly double bogey which pushed him out to 6-over with the ghosts of Oakmont, where he suffered a Sunday slump in 2016, coming back to haunt him.

That’s when everything changed. A booming drive down the left of the 470-yard third hole, left Lowry nestled up near the iconic Church Pew bunker. With 160 yards in to the elevated green he sent a crisp, heavenly iron which bounced in front of the pin, slowed just a touch and dropped into the bottom of the cup for the most unlikely eagle.

Lowry's reaction was that of a man driven to a maddening brink by his game as he threw his hands into the air with a hint of WTF about the body language. Bringing his total back to 4-over with the scoreable par-5 4th next gave Lowry the chance to turn the tide in a big way.

Lowry was playing alongside compatriot Rory McIlroy and Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose with McIlroy one of just nine players in the early going who were in the red numbers as the brutal rough and bewitching greens of Oakmont bit early.