Pádraig Harrington leapt to the defence of Shane Lowry for breaking a club in frustration in the Open Championship on Friday.
Lowry drew widespread criticism on social media for snapping a club behind his neck en route to a missed cut in Hoylake.
The 2019 Open champion was visibly frustrated that he failed to make the most of his superb driving over the course of the opening two days. Like 54-hole leader Harman he found 21 of 28 fairways in 36 holes which had him joint second in the statistics but 19 of 36 greens and a measly three birdies, one on Friday proved too much to handle.
This isn’t the first time the Offaly man has let his emotions get the better of him. At the 2015 Irish Open, 2020 US PGA, 2022 CJ Cup and 2023 Players, Lowry smashed a club in anger. Two of them were putters and now a wedge has been added to the rap sheet.
“I haven’t seen it,” Harrington grinned on Saturday. “Was it a good break?”
He added “I’ve changed completely my whole idea that any player who wants to vent a bit frustration on themselves I have no problem as long as they don’t damage the golf course or get in anybody’s way.
“Shane didn’t do either of those, so I’ve no problem at all. If you want to break all 14 clubs, fine. As long as you don’t damage the course or interfere.
“And to be honest, I don’t think a player getting upset once or twice doesn’t interfere at all. Maybe if somebody’s at it all day… I think generally, if somebody is doing that, I have a bit of a laugh about it. As long as it was an athletic break, I have no problem with it.”
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