PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Shane Lowry’s tee shot at the par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass was better than most.
The burly Irishman took aim at the famed island green, playing 123 yards in the third round of the 2022 Players Championship. His pitching wedge pitched about 5 feet behind the hole, which was six paces from the front and five paces from the left edge, spun back and circled the cup for a hole-in-one.
Lowry smiled from ear-to-ear and celebrated by high-fiving playing competitors Ian Poulter and Hayden Buckley and giving Poulter and caddie Bo Martin chest bumps. Then he waved his arms up and down, encouraging fans to cheer louder.
There had been 1,075 swings since Ryan Moore had the last ace at No. 17 during the 2019 Players. It was the 10th ace at 17 since Brad Fabel in 1986.
Lowry slapped hands with fans on his way to the green. When he retrieved the ball from the hole, he heaved it into the crowd setting off a brief battle for it. The lucky fan who came up with the ball near the 18th tee made his way to the rope line and Lowry gladly signed it for him.
HOLE-IN-ONE AT THE ISLAND GREEN
@ShaneLowryGolf makes the 10th ace on No. 17 in @THEPLAYERSChamp history. pic.twitter.com/HqSYe4XuZh
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 13, 2022
One day earlier, the 17th hole gave up just two birdies as high winds punished poor shots. In all, 29 balls became souvenirs at the bottom of the lake.
Lowry got revenge for the field, and the ace lifted Lowry to 4 under for the tournament and four strokes off the lead during the third round.
It was his second career ace on the PGA Tour. The other? How about at 16 at Augusta National. Not a bad pairing. Expect a pint or two of Guinness to be consumed. Lowry, good man that he is, already had beer sent to the media center, a tradition unlike any other.