Shane Lowry: 'These people are the same age as my mum and dad. And they’re throwing out obscenities'

Shane Lowry has urged Luke Donald to continue as Team Europe Ryder Cup captain for a third term. 

Europe captain Luke Donald, right, and Shane Lowry after winning the Ryder Cup. Pic: Vaughn Ridley/Sportsfile

Nursing sore heads but full hearts, Europe’s heroes of Bethpage Black understandably took a quieter approach to Monday morning on Long Island. The man who led them to glory continued to stay mostly mum on whether he will be back for a historic three-peat at Adare Manor in 2027.

But Shane Lowry, who stepped forward to seal Luke Donald’s second Ryder Cup triumph on an unforgettable Long Island Sunday, is adamant the Englishman should be at the helm when the host team turn up in Limerick in two years. Lowry is fearful for any alternative scenario, pointing to one of the most disastrous succession sequences in modern sport.

“God help whoever is going to fill his shoes,” the Offaly man told reporters at the team hotel after a long night of celebrating a first victory on US soil for 13 years. “It’s like trying to come in after Sir Alex Ferguson. We’ve seen how that’s gone over the last 12 years. I think it’ll be very tough shoes to fill.

“We would happily have him [at Adare Manor], but it’s obviously his call. He’s given up three years of his life and he’s put on a lot of work. It’ll be a big deal for him to take it on again.

“We were just talking about it in the team room. I feel like the blueprint is there. And the tour has a great plan in place. I said, you have to try and come in and put your own stamp on it. But it will be a hard job to do.”

Thrust into the captaincy at late notice ahead of the 2023 staging in Rome, Donald has matured into an inspirational leader, shaking off innate shyness and embracing the role of figurehead. Having become just the second European to skipper his team to two victories, there is surely some appeal for a third. Close friend Justin Rose is the other leading candidate but proved over the weekend at Bethpage that he can still be a huge contributor on the course.

All 12 of Donald’s players were united in chanting ‘two more years’ at their captain in the thick of Sunday night’s celebrations. Having slept on it, Donald sounded as though he will at least consider it.

“I'm super humbled again that they would even mention it. I have to sit down and think things through and what that would look like,” Donald told the gathered European media. “I won't rule it out, but I want to enjoy this one. Could it be an easier decision than two years ago? I would say harder. I think some people obviously thought I was mad trying to do an away Ryder Cup after such a successful one in Rome. I've done one home, I've done one way. I don't feel there's much more to prove. If I can help in any way, I would definitely consider it.” 

Having begun the liquid celebrations on the fringes of the 18th green mere minutes after holing the putt to retain the cup, Lowry revealed that his partying didn’t go as deep as some teammates. Footage on social media of him cavorting on a table with the trophy would suggest he packed plenty in nonetheless.

“I was alright. It was pretty early, I wasn’t the first but I wasn’t the last,” said Lowry, who said his bedtime came around 2.30am. “No standout performers. Fitzy [Matt Fitzpatrick] went to bed quite early, which is not surprising. No standout performers.

“It was great, we were in the team room and I got to see my friends, had a few drinks, a great time. I really enjoyed it, just chatting to Paul McGinley. [There are] so many down times in this game, you do something, you sit back and enjoy it.” 

What made victory all the sweeter was the caustic chaos Europe’s players but especially Lowry and Rory McIlroy had to rise above amid a febrile few days in Bethpage. Asked if the home team could have done more to rein in the home crowd when things got much too personal, Lowry was typically honest.

“Yes, they could have, but they were well behind,” he said. “[They were] trying to do all they could to win. Win at all costs for them.

“Sunday was pretty tame for me in the end, but two days with Rory, it is something we’ll probably sit down and laugh about. What I can’t understand is, I look into the crowd and these people are the same age as my mum and dad. And they’ve probably got kids and grandkids. And they’re throwing out obscenities. I just don’t get it. We knew it was going to happen, we were ready for it and yes we did well to handle it.

“The Americans said in the build-up that they want them to bring the chaos. And they did. But the stuff Erica [Stoll, McIlroy’s wife] had to listen to for a few days, it was horrible, fair play to her for doing what she did. Being out there supporting her husband and the team, she was probably the big winner in my eyes this week. A strong woman, fair play to her.” 

The host nation spent the morning after dealing with the fallout of a failure which briefly threatened to be a startling success. The behaviour of Bethpage fans was lashed by one of the icons of American golf, Tom Watson.

"I'd like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory. Your team play for the first few days was sensational,” the three-time winner posted on social media.

"More importantly, I'd like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage. As a former player, captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”