Shane Lowry received a two-stroke penalty at The Open Championship after a rules official determined his ball moved during a practice swing. Lowry, fearing social media backlash, accepted the penalty despite not seeing the ball move. The incident, caught on camera, resulted in a double bogey on the 12th hole, dropping him to even par. While Lowry acknowledges the rules, he felt the penalty was harsh, a sentiment echoed by some commentators who called for more leeway in such rulings. Despite the penalty, Lowry made the cut, though significantly behind the leader.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.