During a dramatic moment at the PGA Championship, Irish golfer Shane Lowry let his frustration boil over in an incident that quickly went viral. Captured in a now widely circulated image, Lowry was seen taking a massive divot out of the fairway following a heated exchange with a PGA official.
The situation unfolded on the 8th hole, where tensions appeared to be high. While the specific cause of the argument has not been officially confirmed, sources suggest it may have involved a rules dispute or disagreement over course conditions. What’s clear, however, is that Lowry was visibly agitated—his frustration culminating in an aggressive swing that left a sizable chunk of turf flying from the fairway.
The images show Lowry in full swing, tearing into the fairway, while his caddie and the official looked on. In a second frame, Lowry is seen in conversation—clearly still tense—with the PGA official, while his caddie drinks water in the background, perhaps trying to cool off from the heated moment.
While emotional reactions are nothing new in professional golf, this outburst from Lowry stands out, especially given his normally composed demeanor on the course. Fans have expressed mixed reactions, with some empathizing with the competitive pressure players face, while others criticized the move as unsportsmanlike.
Neither the PGA Tour nor Lowry has made an official statement as of yet, but such incidents often carry the possibility of fines or disciplinary action, depending on the circumstances.
For now, the viral moment has become one of the talking points of the tournament, adding an unexpected jolt of drama to an already intense week of golf. Whether this fire fuels Lowry’s play or becomes a distraction remains to be seen.
