'I asked my wife what it was like for her, and they got dog’s abuse'

Shane Lowry was back playing on more familiar soil this week in Scotland after making his Ryder Cup debut in the mauling at Whislting Straits.

Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton were all teeing it up at the Dunhill Links and, before too long, the Irishman was asked about his time in Wisconsin.

“I finished my match on 16 on Sunday and I was walking back down to follow the other groups and I got a huge ovation off the crowd in the grandstand on 16, that was pretty cool. And I thought I get on well with the crowd last week as best I could. But they are obviously a home crowd and they are going to be a partisan crowd. But some of the stuff is not very nice. But look, that's just the way it is. Some people are idiots, especially when they drink."

Lowry added that the European wives, partners, and families were also on the wrong end of some of the home fans' outbursts.

“Look, I didn't think it was that bad until I asked my wife what it was like for her, and they got dog’s abuse coming around as well. It's not very nice is it, and it's not very nice for them to have to listen to this. I knew it was going to happen, I said it to my wife at the start of the week. And I warned my dad not to get involved with anyone. It’s just the way it is. But that's a small percentage of the crowd.

“Nobody turns into a genius drinking, and that's what they were doing last week. Especially if you were out in the afternoon matches, it was loud. It was hard for us. As a team it was hard for us to perform our best because, you know, no matter what you say, you stand up and you hit a 3-iron into ten feet from 250 yards and you don't even get a ripple of applause. You almost get booed for it. It's hard.”

As for the next away match Lowry didn't hold out much hope of relations improving.

“Bethpage in 2025 is going to be horrendous. But it will be a great chance to shut them up. That’s the way I see it. When I’m out there that’s what I’m doing. There is nothing better than holing a 20-footer and turning around to see them all standing there dead silent. It’s amazing.”