'The owner went bananas' - Shane Lowry was kicked off course just days before Open Championship

The Open is being held back at Royal Portrush this week, and Shane Lowry will have very fond memories.

Lowry won the first and only major championship of his career six years ago, finishing six shots clear of Tommy Fleetwood.

Lowry won The Open in 2019 after an awkward encounterCredit: Getty

He got his hands on the Claret Jug after a masterclass around the Dunluce Links the last time golf’s best major took place there.

The Irishman overcame poor conditions to taste glory on a special day that saw thousands chant for him in the final stretch.

Lowry is now among the home favourites in the field as he returns to the venue he previously conquered.

But he will hope to avoid any frosty confrontations in the build-up to the event at Royal Portrush this time around…

Everything may have gone smoothly for Lowry on the course, but it wasn’t so perfect in the days leading up to The 2019 Open.

Speaking last year, the 38-year-old revealed he was kicked off a local course right before he went on to claim major success.

Lowry explained: “The Irish Open was in Lahinch in 2019, just two weeks before I won The Open.

“And we got kicked out of a Pitch and Putt one night!

“We drove down – our house was really close and it was 9pm, the weather was really nice – but it was closed.

“So we just jumped the gate and went in and played.”

Lowry was kicked out of a local course in the lead-up to his Open winCredit: Getty

“Next thing, the owner is like, honestly, going bananas,” he laughed.

“He didn’t know it was me but we were going to drop in the money the next day, we weren’t trying to play it for nothing.”

Lowry’s visit to a Pitch and Putt ended badly, but who knows, that nighttime practice could have made all the difference.

In reality, the Irish star is used to his fair share of confrontations, with his anger sometimes coming through on course.

Last year at The Open, he directed an X-rated rant towards a cameraman as he competed for a second major.

In a moment of intense frustration, Lowry angrily turned to the cameraman before unleashing some very choice words.

Lowry isn’t afraid of a confrontation on the courseCredit: Getty

Earlier in 2024, he was also involved in a huge Ryder Cup bust-up between Rory McIlroy and caddie Joe LaCava.

Lowry was at the centre of the now-infamous row on the 18th green, screaming at LaCava from inside the ropes.

Then this year at the PGA Championship, he took his anger out on the fairway as he raged at a controversial ruling.

His run-in with a Pitch and Putt owner didn’t seem to go too sourly though, with Lowry looking back jokingly on the moment.

It seems to be a good memory of his from the last time he played at Royal Portrush, and he’ll be hoping for another success now.

Lowry will begin the 153rd Open Championship on Thursday, July 17, with the event running through until Sunday, July 20.

Shane Lowry’s Open finishes

His best finish in the British major since winning in 2019 was last year as he came sixth following a six-over third round.

He will be hoping to repeat his success on the course he has already done so, despite some poor recent form.

Lowry missed the cut at the PGA Championship and US Open.

But he has already shared a positive message ahead of a return to his triumphant course, visiting Northern Ireland at the end of June.

McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and JJ Spaun are the three major winners this season, with the fourth and final to be crowned this week.

Could that be Lowry as he aims to go back-to-back at Portrush?

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‘The owner went bananas’ – Shane Lowry was kicked off course just days before Open Championship