Alright, so the Masters week rolls around again. Always gets me buzzing a bit, you know? This time, I decided I’d really try and keep tabs on Shane Lowry. Been a fan since that Open win, proper stuff that was. Just wanted to see how he’d handle Augusta this year.
First off, finding his tee time. That’s always the initial fiddle, isn’t it? Gotta check the pairings, figure out the time difference if you’re not watching locally. Planned my Thursday afternoon around catching his start, more or less. Got the feed up, settled in.
Watching him play Augusta is… interesting. He’s got the power, no doubt. And his irons can be absolutely filthy, pure magic sometimes. But Augusta, man, it just asks different questions. You see him hit a great approach, but then it catches a slope you didn’t even see on TV, and suddenly he’s scrambling.
Following the Rounds
So, I’m watching, right? He birdies one, gives it back on the next. That’s the grind. It wasn’t like watching him dominate at Portrush. This felt more like hard work, which, let’s be honest, is what Augusta is for most guys not named Scottie Scheffler right now.
- Thursday: Solid enough start. Didn’t shoot himself out of it, which is job one.
- Friday: Bit more of a battle. You could see the frustration sometimes. Course probably getting firmer. Made the cut, though. That’s the main thing friday.
- Weekend: This is where it gets tough to follow just one guy unless he’s right up there. The coverage naturally shifts to the leaders. I caught glimpses. Saw some cracking shots, saw some recovery putts that just wouldn’t drop. Felt like he was always hovering, you know? Never quite clicking into that top gear you need there.
It’s funny, you watch him and think, he’s got all the tools. Great hands, good temperament mostly. But putting it all together for four days straight around that specific course… it’s just a massive ask. Maybe the shape of the course doesn’t quite suit his eye like some others? Hard to say from the couch, obviously.
Final Thoughts
So, the practice this week was basically dedicating some viewing time specifically to Lowry. See how he navigated it. Wasn’t his winning week, clearly. But watching him grind it out, seeing the flashes of brilliance mixed with the inevitable Augusta struggles, it was a decent watch. You learn a bit just by focusing on one player’s journey through that tournament. It’s different than just watching the leaderboard leaders. Gives you a bit more appreciation for how tough it is for everyone out there.
