Shane Lowry's daughter helps put golf in perspective: 'I would have liked to have finished first but we move on' 

Lowry snatched defeat from the jaws of victory at the Cognizant Classic in Florida

FRUSTRATED: Shane Lowry came agonisingly close to winning the Cognizant Classic last weekend at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Picture: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Shane Lowry is taking his daughter's advice and keeping his agonising second-placed finish at the Cognizant Classic in Florida in perspective.

The Offaly man was on the brink of victory heading to the 16th tee on Sunday with a three-shot lead but ended up being reeled in by Colombian Nico Echavarria. The crushing finale to the tournament came in the wake of a similar misfire in Dubai in January, while his only solo PGA Tour win Stateside was 11 years ago. 

Lowry told PGA Tour Radio that people approached him in the days after like 'someone had passed away', to the surprise of his daughter.

"Speaking to people over the last few days, it was like someone had passed away. When they see me, they're like afraid to talk to me. I'm like 'no, I'm fine now, whatever'.

My daughter just turned around to me and said 'why is everyone acting so sad that you finished second, like second is good'. So a little bit of perspective there.

"She's like 'it's not like you finished last...' I would have hoped to have finished first and I probably should have but you know, we move on."

Lowry didn't hide his disappointment but was grateful to those who reached out to offer support.

"I'm not going to lie. Sunday night, I didn't sleep at all really. 

"You go through all the scenarios in your head and the regrets you have but you know I'm very fortunate because I've got a great support network around me and I'd some amazing people reach out to me in the 24 hours after that.

The morning after Shane Lowry fell short @The_Cognizant, Rory McIlroy had a message for his longtime friend. pic.twitter.com/0xKShhiQ1E

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 5, 2026

"People I look up to. I got one particular phonecall off an Irish sportsperson who I really admire and he was very, very kind to me. To hear that other people have been in that situation and to hear their thoughts on it and I think learn from it is the biggest thing.

SLIPPED AWAY

"Obviously it's very disappointing. It's so hard to win out here on the PGA Tour and I had a tournament in my hands and I let it go."

Shane Lowry of Ireland reacts after playing his shot from the 17th tee. Picture: Raj Mehta/Getty Images

His option is to get back in the saddle again.

"I'm going to have regrets in the days after that but that's where we put ourselves. We're playing on the best tour in the world, on the toughest golf courses.

Unfortunately I didn't deliver but I can only keep putting myself there.

"I think I played for a lot of the tournament some of the best golf of my whole career and I felt so in control and one bad swing took it away from me. It is what it is and we move onwards and upwards."