Shane Lowry ‘misses the beer,’ gets luck of the Irish to keep FedEx Cup playoff chances in tact

Photo by Logan Whitton/Getty Images

Lowry had a wild up and down day at the Wyndham Championship, which was indicative of his crazy birdie on the par-5 15th.

Shane Lowry entered this week outside the top 70 needed to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, which begins next week in Memphis, Tennessee. That meant he was going to need to finish inside the top 23 this week at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.

After posting a solid opening round Thursday, he struggled for much of the day Friday. On the par-5 15th though, he caught a massive break.

The Irishman’s approach shot went wayward into the stands. Somehow, the ball went from the third row back into play, across the green and settled onto the fringe for a lengthy eagle putt. He would go on to birdie the hole.

The Golf Channel announcers, upon watching the replay, put it into context saying “We pros talk about ‘we never get a break.’ This was off the third row, missed the beer, onto the green.”

Photo by Logan Whitton/Getty Images

Interestingly, prior to the tournament, Lowry had detailed how he believed he had earned a bit of luck.

“I feel like I’ve been in situations like this quite a bit over the last number of years,” he said.

“Like I miss out on the Tour Championship by one spot last year, by two shots in 2019. I remember playing here one year, I’d been told I needed a top-10 to get to the Playoffs, I finished seventh and I missed out by one point.”

“So I feel like the playoffs nearly owes me one at this stage.”

Maybe the luck of the Irish finally came through for the former Open champion.

Lowry finished the day 3-under par, just one shot above the cut line. He currently sits T42 with work left to do if he wants to make it Memphis.