A REAL SHANE

Lowry’s disappointed, but Phil fun softens blow

SHANE LOWRY said playing the final “fun” round with Phil Mickelson was the highlight of his disappointing Masters.

The Ryder Cup star failed to break par in any rounds after carding a closing 74 yesterday to finish on eight-over par.

But the Clara man did have the compensation of spending the final day get a close up view of three-time champion Mickelson, who made his 101st cut in Majors.

“Phil is good,” said the 2019 Open champion. “I love playing golf with Phil. He hit some shots that I’m kind of right there enjoying as a spectator more than anything else.

“When I saw the draw last night, I was excited to go out and play a Masters Sunday with him. He lived up to his name.

Bogeys

“He hit some unbelievable shots. He hit a shot from over in the trees on the 8th hole I think only he would go for, let alone pull off, but it was good fun.”

The world No.36 was less happy about his own game at Augusta National after carding a total of 19 bogeys.

“Not very good,” said Lowry. “I’m a little disappointed obviously. I played all right golf throughout the week, just made a lot of bogeys, a lot of bogeys. No big mistakes, nothing disastrous, just a lot of bogeys.

“I think for me this week is probably the most special week of the year. Disappointed not to give it a decent run this year.

“Yeah, hopefully I have a few more years left of giving it a run out here. It’s over now.

I’m going to go back to the drawing board and see what I can do next week heading into Hilton

Head.”

A deflated Rory

McIlroy (right) was almost at a loss for words after his 10th bid to win the Masters and complete a career grand slam came to a tame end.

McIlroy carded a closing 73 at Augusta National to finish four over par, just as the final groups were heading into the back nine.

“I mean, I don’t really know what to say,” the World No.2 said. “Just sort of felt like my game was OK and managed it pretty well, but obviously Friday was a really tough day, and losing five shots sort of put me in a pretty difficult position going into the weekend.

“Then the conditions were pretty tough. The greens are crusty and firm and hard to get the ball super close and hard to make a ton of birdies.

“Once you get seven or eight back going into the weekend here, it’s hard to

make up that ground.”

Emotions

Asked to sum up his emotions, McIlroy added: “I guess it’s more the same of what I’ve shown this year. It’s not as if it’s been a down week in comparison to the way I’ve been playing.

“It’s just a matter of me trying to get my game in a bit better shape going towards the rest of the season.

“I need to take a little bit of time and reflect on this week and what I did well, what I didn’t do so well, and sort of try to make a plan for the next few months, especially from here going through obviously the end of July. Major season, they’re going to come thick and fast, so hopefully get myself in a bit better form for those last three.”

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods finished on 16 over in what may well turn out to be his final round at The Masters due the toll of injuries on his body.

“I had hoped to shoot something in the 60s but the round I wanted was what Tom (Kim) was doing behind me (shooting 66),” said Woods.

Doable

“I thought I had that in my system but unfortunately it did not go the right way. I hit a bad tee shot on five and never got it back.

“The rest of the majors are definitely doable. I said last year about [playing] once a month. Hopefully for the next three my body will cooperate.”

Woods was paired with amateur Neil Shipley yesterday, the 23-year-old out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And Shipley has revealed the lengths his playing partner went to in order to play on Sunday.

Following his round, he said: “I really appreciate all the work that he does to keep his body ready to come out here. He told me that he woke up at like 3:45 this morning just to get ready for the day, which is — I got about three hours more sleep than him.

“He’s really grinding and making a big commitment to be out here for everyone. It’s awesome to see the Patrons really appreciative of him and really enjoy having him out here.”

Woods shot five-over par next to Shipley as he struggled again at Augusta National, finishing on 16-over.

But Shipley added: “I don’t think anyone wants to catch Tiger at his best.

“No one is going to win when he’s playing his best.”