Shane Lowry’s explosion of joy after his winning putt at Bethpage will be forever etched in golf history. This moment will be repeated endlessly when the Ryder Cup, to be held in Ireland in two years’ time, comes up again. It will also undoubtedly be the defining image of the Mullingar native’s career, although his triumph at the 2019 British Open in Portrush, Northern Ireland, will be another iconic image of his journey in professional golf.
Shane Lowry, statements
But let’s be honest: That leap of joy wasn’t the smoothest or most graceful in golf history. Because while Shane Lowry, at 36, is a big boy, as they say, he also carries some extra weight. And even in his younger years, especially during his 2009 Irish Open victory when he was still an amateur, his curves were more apparent.
Shane Lowry knows he doesn’t exactly have the physique of a top athlete. And this has sometimes caused him insecurities. He even admitted in the Irish Times that he was ‘obsessed with his weight’.
“I’ve always been aware of it. I’ve always been like that… and sometimes even today I still get a little obsessed with it.” “This report comes from a deep desire to optimize his game and physical fitness. After weighing in at approximately 112-114 kilos at the 2021 Ryder Cup, Lowry worked hard to refine his form and feel stronger and sharper.
Today he weighs about 100 kilos.
Lowry tells this with disarming honesty: he embarked on a quest to become a better version of himself as a top athlete, without judgement, with patience and self-compassion. And he believes his efforts have paid off and continue to do so.
“There is a way to lose weight as a golfer, and I believe Robbie (Robbie Cannon, his personal fitness coach) and I have done it the right way.” “Normally I don’t like to talk about it, but today I have to admit that I love physical training. It’s something I think about every day. I really feel like I’m in the best shape of my life, and I also feel like my game has never been better.”
I still have a long way to go.
Although his personal season was winless, his performances at the Ryder Cup clearly confirm that he is at the peak of his powers. Sinking that well under maximum pressure is the reward for years of technical, mental and physical work.
Lowry doesn’t plan to stop there. He explains how he wants to approach the coming years of competition with a healthy balance between performance and well-being.
“I still have a long way to go, I will continue to work on some of the goals I have set for myself in this area…” warns the world number 26.
Through this public confession, Shane Lowry also shows a human dimension with this ability to share his doubts and efforts.
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