In a candid conversation with The Golfing Gazette, Shane Lowry reflects on two of the defining moments of his career — and why choosing between them feels impossible.
Shane Lowry’s career is filled with moments most golfers can only dream of. From winning The Irish Open as an amateur in 2009 to lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush in 2019, he has collected achievements that already secure his place in the sport’s history.
But it was his putt on the 18th green at Bethpage Black in 2025 — the one that ensured Europe retained the Ryder Cup — that triggered some of the rawest emotions of his life. Lowry, who cares deeply about the event, was brought to tears after the ball dropped. “The Ryder Cup means everything to me,” he said afterward, still shaken by both the pressure and the abuse he endured from the New York crowd.
The significance of the moment was undeniable. Yet, winning The Open on home soil was also an achievement of enormous magnitude — something Lowry himself fully acknowledges.
Lowry compares Portrush and Bethpage
Ahead of The Skins Game, during a virtual press conference attended by The Golfing Gazette, Lowry was asked directly which moment he considered “cooler”: sealing the Ryder Cup at Bethpage or winning The Open at Portrush.
“Oooof, what a question,” he responded with a smile. “I feel very lucky to have done both.” Although reluctant to pick one, he eventually leaned toward Bethpage. “I think Bethpage was cooler than Portrush for a few reasons… the way it all panned out on Sunday and what happened on the 18th green.”
Still, he made clear that Portrush stands as the greatest individual accomplishment of his career. “And it probably will be no matter what I do,” he added. Xander Schauffele jumped in, joking that the question was “like choosing which one of your kids is your favorite,” prompting Lowry to laugh and agree: “Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”
What he told his caddie before the putt
Lowry’s Sunday singles match against Russell Henley required a fierce comeback, clawing back from two down with four to play. As he and caddie Darren Reynolds walked up the 18th, Lowry sensed the magnitude of what was unfolding. “I said to Darren that I have a chance to do the coolest thing of my life here,” he recalled. Moments later, he delivered exactly that — holing the six-foot putt to secure Europe the Cup.
His Open victory had already ensured his name would be remembered. But the drama and emotion of Bethpage Black elevated his legacy even further.
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