Lowry accepts harsh Open penalty, avoids social media 'slaughter' | JQJO

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.