Golf

Lowry's expectations dashed by 74 at Carton House

Former Irish Open champion admits to mental errors at Luiten leads the way

MAYNOOTH, IRELAND - JUNE 29: Jamie Donaldson of Wales during the third round of the Irish Open at Carton House Golf Club on June 29, 2013 in Maynooth, Ireland. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Sat Jun 29 2013 - 17:34

Shane Lowry discovered that shouldering the hopes and expectations of the majority of supporters at Carton House can prove a millstone, one that he was unable to budge during today's third round of the Irish Open.

The Offaly man, struggled mentally and physically as he signed for a two over par, 74, and now sits eight shots behind tournament leader, Holland's Joost Luiten, the latter carding a brilliant 66. Lowry admitted: " I just wasn't there today. I'm very disappointed to be honest. I went out and tried my best, but played my way out of this golf tournament.

“I don’t think I can shoot a low enough score tomorrow to win. I hit poor shots, I mean, putted poorly. It just wasn’t there for me today. It was the exact same thing as last Saturday. Maybe I was trying too hard, maybe I was doing something, but yeah, I’m a bit down at the minute to be honest. I have to go out and try to shoot a score tomorrow and see what happens.”

Shane Lowry reacts after a bad drive during day three of the Irish Open at Carlton House Golf Club, Co. Kildare, Republic of Ireland. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 29, 2013. See PA story GOLF Irish. Photo credit should read: Julien Behal/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only. No commercial use. Call +44 (0)1158 447447 for further information.

Was it just one of those days? “Yeah. I mean, like the sixth hole, my first bogey of the day, just one place you don’t hit it and I hit it, brain dead, really. I made a lot of poor decisions today: mentally wasn’t there, and you know, complete opposite of the last two days.

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“I was looking forward to getting out there. The thing is and what I’m most disappointed about is I didn’t enjoy one bit of it and I should be enjoying myself. There’s a few thousand people, my friends and family are watching me. I feel like, not that I let everyone down but I just feel like if I had shot a decent score and had a chance going into tomorrow then it would have set me up. It wouldn’t have taken much to shoot two or three under there today.”

Lowry is no longer the leading Irishman that honour falls to Peter Lawrie who shot a superb, 67 and sits at six under for the tournament, one clear of Lowry, Gareth Shaw and Alan Dunbar. Simon Thornton is on four under, Seamus Power and Michael Hoey on one under while Damien Mooney is two over.

Luiten, who recently won in Austria, leads by one shot from Pablo Larrazabal (66), and is two clear of the joint overnight leader, Robert Rock (71).

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