'Bryson was building himself up for a big Masters fall' - Lowry

‘Bryson was building himself up for a big Masters fall’ – Lowry

Bernie McGuire

18th November 2020

Shane Lowry insists Bryson DeChambeau has only himself to blame in stumbling his way to a ‘well down the board’ finish in last week’s Masters.

The pre-Masters hype that DeChambeau would bring Augusta National to its knees never materialised with golf’s ‘Hulk Hogan’ only just making the halfway cut ahead of ending a Masters afterthought 18 shots behind Dustin Johnson. And Lowry reckons DeChambeau was already behind even before tee-off with his bold prediction that Augusta would likely play to a par-67 if the reigning US Open winner got his way.

“You don’t just rock up and win golf tournaments. It’s not that easy. And to be honest, I thought that Bryson was building himself up for a big fall,” said Lowry in his Paddy Power column

“I’m not like that – I don’t like to talk myself up. I try to go about my business by coming in under the radar. Obviously Bryson likes talking and putting it all out there, but I thought he was building himself up for a big fall last week because going out and saying Augusta is a par-67… he’s basically saying the third hole is a par-3, but it’s 360 yards.

“He is what he is. Bryson goes on about all this science in golf, but he probably works harder than anyone. He puts more time and effort into his golf than the majority of people, and that’s why he’s so good. He goes and says it’s the science, but everybody just works as hard as they can. That’s what top sport is all about.”

And while pointing a finger at DeChambeau, Lowry had both hands together for the effort of Johnson: “Dustin has put years and years into it, and that Masters win is all he’s ever wanted to achieve,” said Lowry. “It’s not all science. It’s hard work, determination and balls.

“There’s no computer that will give you a pair of balls so that when you get up on the 12th tee at Augusta you’ll hit an 8-iron over the water and on to the green. There’s no formula to that. Dustin has put years into the game and deserves it. DJ will have had a good night on Sunday but nowhere near the night I had after The Open in 2019!

“The few days we had as a group of friends was something you’d love to do again and again. It was unreal. It drives me to do something special again. The experience of that with friends and family was unbelievable.”

Lowry is this week contesting the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic at Sea Island in Georgia where he is being joined by Graeme McDowell.

IRISH TEE TIMES (Thursday, Irish time)