17 Things You Don't Know About Shane Lowry
Get to know the Irishman a little better with these 17 things...


Thank you for signing up to Golf Monthly. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
17 Things You Don't Know About Shane Lowry
1. He began playing golf at the age of 13 and was a 12 handicap after a year of playing.
2. He was a single figure player before the age of 15.
3. He grew up playing at Esker Hills Golf Club in County Offaly
4. In 2009 he won the Irish Open at County Louth as an amateur, becoming the third amateur to win on the European Tour. No amateur has won since. He shot 62 that week, the lowest round on the European Tour by an amateur, and beat Robert Rock in a playoff. Rock took the winner's cheque as the leading professional.
5. He married his wife Wendy Honner in 2016. They have a daughter together who was born in 2017.
6. His dad Brendan was a successful Gaelic football player, winning the All-Ireland Championship with County Offaly in 1982.
7. He lives in Clara, County Offaly, Ireland but was born in Mullingar, County Westmeath.
8. He is a big Gaelic football fan but also enjoys hurling, rugby and football.
9. He won his second European Tour title at the 2012 Portugal Masters and then he had a huge win at the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. His fourth European Tour win came at the 2019 Abu Dhabi Championship.
10. His career-high world ranking is 16.
11. His best Major finish came at the 2019 Open Championship which he won by six shots from Tommy Fleetwood. Up to that point his previous best finish was a runner-up finish at the 2016 US Open at Oakmont.
12. He is a short game wizard. He told Golf Monthly - “I think the reason my short game is quite good is that all the greens (at Esker Hills) there are raised. I used to play a lot of golf on my own and I’d practice my chipping a lot. You’d always have to chip it up with a little bit of spin to get the ball close. I was never taught how to play them but I chipped and I chipped and I chipped and over time I developed it.”
13. He made a hole-in-one on the 2nd hole during the 2019 Masters Par 3 Contest.
14. He is aggressive by nature, telling Golf Monthly - "You learn to aim away from flags and that’s actually quite difficult for me, to take pars and bogeys when you’re out of position. Professional golf is all about just ticking along and taking your birdies when you can. If you can make four or five birdies a day and try and limit your mistakes you’re going to be up there at the end of the week.”
15. He is a very proud Irishman - "Ireland is a place that welcomes you in without even trying. Maybe it’s our social nature or the amazing scenery or the buzz of simply going for a pint. Maybe it’s the craic, that indefinable feeling that embodies Irish fun. Whatever it is, and despite all the rain, I’m proud to be from one of the most beautiful places on earth."
16. He made his first Ryder Cup appearance in 2021, where he was selected as one of Padraig Harrington's three wildcard picks. He won one point form three matches.
17. He represented Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Tips on how to play better, latest equipment reviews, interviews with the biggest names and more.

Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news, features, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as four Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats anywhere between 2-5. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max
Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max
Irons: Mizuno MP5 4-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
-
-
Whose Ball Is Used In Foursomes At The Ryder Cup?
A big issue when it comes to the Ryder Cup foursomes - which ball is used?
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Could Europe Host The Ryder Cup In The Middle East?
It has been suggested. But is it really that daft an idea to hold a Ryder Cup in the Middle East?
By Roderick Easdale Published
-
Whose Ball Is Used In Foursomes At The Ryder Cup?
A big issue when it comes to the Ryder Cup foursomes - which ball is used?
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Could Europe Host The Ryder Cup In The Middle East?
It has been suggested. But is it really that daft an idea to hold a Ryder Cup in the Middle East?
By Roderick Easdale Published
-
How To Get The USA Ryder Cup Hoodie
Liking the look of the US Team's hoodie? Here, we take a look at how you can get your hands on it
By Matt Cradock Published
-
What Is The Most Used Ball At The Ryder Cup?
In this piece we have taken a look at which ball is used the most out of the 24 players competing at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
What Is The Most Used Shoe At The Ryder Cup?
In this piece we have taken a look at which shoe is used the most out of the 24 players competing at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
What Is The Most Used Driver At The Ryder Cup?
With 24 of the world's best players competing, we take a look at the most used driver during the event.
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
How Does Golf's Four Ball Format Work?
Golf's four ball format is one of the most popular in the amateur game and a feature of both the Solheim and Ryder Cups
By Roderick Easdale Published
-
What Is Foursomes?
Foursomes is a golf format whereby a pair of golfers form a team and play a single ball between them
By Roderick Easdale Published