Shane Lowry has made an interesting comparison with the Ryder Cup after his collapse at the Cognizant Classic.
Lowry had a three-shot lead over Nico Echavarria with just three holes to play at The Bear’s Club before he fell apart.
The Irishman hit his tee shot out of bounds on the 16th hole and had to take a drop in the rough before making a double bogey.
He then hit his tee shot into the water again on the par-3 17th hole and made another double bogey to fall behind Echavarria.
Lowry needed to make an eagle on the last hole to take the Colombian to a playoff, but he could only manage a par.
He has since commented on the difference in his clutch-time performances in regular events and at the Ryder Cup.
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Was the first event of 2026 a success or a failure for Shane Lowry?
Shane Lowry reacts to Cognizant Classic collapse
Lowry cannot understand why he struggles to deal with the pressure of contending at PGA and DP World Tour events.
It would make Bethpage Black last September.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed,” Lowry said after the Cognizant Classic. “I had the tournament in my hands, and I threw it away. What more can I say? That’s twice this year so far. I’m getting good at it.
“Yeah, look, what can I say? I played unbelievable all day, and one bsense if it were always a problem, but he has often risen to the occasion in big moments at the Ryder Cup.
He even made the putt to retain the Ryder Cup for Europe at ad shot on 16 completely threw me for the last three holes. It’s never happened to me before.
“I said to Darren, how do I feel like this now when I went through what I did last September in Bethpage and got through that fine. I just felt like it was weird out there; I just really couldn’t feel the club face the last three holes after my tee shot on 16. It was strange.
“What can I say? It’s very disappointing. Geez, this is going to be hard to take. Dubai was hard at the start of the year, but this is going to be pretty hard.”
Having also collapsed at the Dubai Invitational earlier this season with a double bogey on the last hole, Lowry must be feeling low on confidence.
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Shane Lowry reflects on crucial double bogey on 17th hole
Lowry had built such a comfortable lead that, despite his double bogey on the 16th hole, he was still in an excellent position to win the tournament.
Unfortunately, his 7-iron approach into the 166-yard par-3 17th green was an even worse mistake, as it did not come close to avoiding the water.
“Yeah, no, I had an unbelievable up-and-down, obviously, to make 6 and stay one ahead, but then I go up and watch Nico hole that putt for birdie to go tied for the lead,” Lowry added.
“Like, it was a perfect number for me, and it suited me perfectly. Wind was slightly in, out of the left, and that’s my bread and butter, a little chip 7-iron. But golf does strange things to you at times, and it certainly did it to me today.”
Lowry must now dust himself off and prepare for the Arnold Palmer Invitational next week, where all eyes will be on his resilience after a disappointing result.