Shane Lowry addresses controversial 18th tee box comments

Fans celebrate Shane Lowry winning. Pic: Dan Clohessy/Inpho

Shane Lowry has addressed the controversial comment he made at the 18th tee box during the third round of the Amgen Irish Open.

The Offaly man had been frustrated by movement on the fairway as he prepared to play, eventually hooking the shot well left towards a crosswalk area and suggesting that the people there ‘deserve to get hit’.

It was a remark heard on the live TV broadcast and it came in for considerable criticism online on Saturday night.

“It's funny, right, because marshals obviously have a very tough job and they are volunteers, but they get a little bit in the way at times, I feel like. And 18 was just two guys going across the fairway as I'm trying to hit the shot and it's playing really hard.

“There's another guy walking… but any ways, you have to do a little bit yourself. But it was carnage out there. I did get a little bit… 

“The 18 tee shot for me, I practiced on Monday. I hit a tee shot 50 yards left out-of-bounds and for the rest of the week that's all I could think about on that tee. It was quite an anxious tee box for me.

“And even today, I had a 10-shot lead, and I was like, I just can't wait to get this tee shot over and done with.”