Shane Lowry came up short at the Truist Championship as Sepp Straka won the PGA Tour Signature Event by two shots.
The two Ryder Cup teammates were in the final pairing at Philadelphia Cricket Club, with RBC Heritage winner Justin Thomas close behind.
After Thomas effectively blew his chance on the 15th hole, Lowry and Straka both made birdies, and the scores were level with three holes to go.
The Irishman then bogeyed the 16th and 18th, after a terrible birdie putt sailed past the hole, and finished two strokes back.
Unfortunately, it highlighted the only weakness in his game, which golf experts Brandel Chamblee and Mark Rolfing pointed out weeks ago.
Shane Lowry’s biggest weakness exposed in final holes at Truist Championship
During the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where Lowry also came up short after an underwhelming weekend, Chamblee shared his thoughts on the 38-year-old.
Chamblee said: “If you ask what Shane Lowry is known for, it’s his boisterous personality, winning the Open Championship in Ireland… but he’s also known for the collapse in 2016 at the US Open when he had the 54-hole lead and shot 76 on Sunday.
“I would say that wasn’t an aberration. You can’t say that he’s not capable of closing the deal, but his record hasn’t been great.”
Rolfing echoed a similar sentiment: “I can’t pinpoint it. There are no weaknesses in his game except not being able to close it out when he gets there.
“He’s been within three shots of the lead going into the final round 13 times on the PGA Tour since 2016, and he’s only won one time – at Royal Portrush.”
It’s hard to argue that this isn’t a serious issue for Lowry, especially when he struggled under pressure in the final holes at the Truist Championship.
His drive on the 18th hole was lucky to even stay in bounds after it hit a stand, and his birdie putt was one you might expect from a high handicapper.
Shane Lowry can look to Rory McIlroy for clutch performance inspiration
The good news for Lowry is that, in this day and age, it’s much easier for professional golfers to seek help with the mental side of the game.
Indeed, Lowry has already worked with famous sports psychologist Bob Rotella, who is credited with helping Rory McIlroy win The Masters last month.
Perhaps Lowry should speak to Rotella after his latest disappointment, but he’s also got his best friend and five-time major champion McIlroy to call upon.
Nobody knows what coming up short when it’s yours to lose feels like more than McIlroy in recent years, yet he’s often overcome those struggles, not least at Augusta National.
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