Shane Lowry was disgruntled.
In Saturday’s third round of the Masters, he bogeyed the final two holes for an even-par 72 that left him T6, seven strokes off Rory McIlroy’s lead. Then, Lowry went to Augusta National’s interview area to fulfill his obligatory media responsibilities.
Two questions in, a reporter asked, “Did you find yourself looking back at all at Rory?” as McIlroy and Lowry are great friends.
However, that set Lowry off.
“No, I’m not going to stand here and talk about Rory for 10 minutes,” Lowry said. “I’m trying to win the tournament, as well. I know that's what y’all want me to talk about, but I’ve just had a s--- finish, I’ve got a chance to win the Masters tomorrow, and I’m going to go hit some balls.”
The 2019 British Open began to step away from the microphone, but when the topic changed to his round, Lowry stayed and reluctantly answered a few more questions.
Answering his sixth—and final—question of the media scrum, Lowry paused and pivoted back to his unhappiness with having to talk to the scribes shortly after his unfortunate finish, referencing Collin Morikawa’s recent saga with the media.
“I’m going to go and—we talk about Collin Morikawa a few weeks ago,” Lowry said. “I think we need time. I think I need a half an hour now to sit there and gather my thoughts. I can't be coming to talk to you guys straightaway. It shouldn't be happening. I don’t agree with it.”
Morikawa generated criticism last month at Bay Hill for not talking to the media after fumbling his 54-hole lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Two days later at the Players Championship, Morikawa said he didn’t “owe anyone anything.” Later in the week, he doubled down.
Former players, such as Rocco Mediate, called out Morikawa, saying: “Biggest bunch of horsesh*t you could ever say, period. I mean, that is the dumbest, most selfish garbage you could ever say. Mr. Palmer would've hunted him down.”
Tuesday in Augusta, Morikawa addressed the situation—again.
“I think there needs to be a balance and an ebb and flow between everything,” the two-time major champion said. “I do want to be here for you guys, but here’s the thing—I’ve been in the top 5 in the world before, and people don’t come up to me and ask me questions. If you guys—you can’t just ask me when I’m playing well. You guys should be asking the top 10 players every single week, every single day, and just document it. Then you get a sense of who we are and you get a flow of how that comes to be.”
Lowry, ranked No. 13 in the world, was indeed asked about his late-round misfortunes Saturday.
And not wanting to face the music, the 38-year-old Irishman suggested implementing a new media protocol.
“Tennis players have to talk to the media, but they have a half an hour or hour before they have to do it,” Lowry said. “I feel like we should have the same thing. That’s how I feel. I’m probably going to say something stupid. I probably already have said something stupid because I’m pissed off right now. I’m just going to leave, O.K.?”
Then, Lowry headed to the practice range, getting work in with hopes of coming back Sunday for one of the Masters’s biggest final-round comebacks ever.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Heated Shane Lowry Cuts Masters Interview Short After Rory McIlroy Question.