Tour professional Shane Lowry advocates for implementing a fresh rule within the PGA Tour, in response to a question about his relationship with fellow golfer Rory McIlroy.
Straight-up, Shane Lowry thinks golfers should have more breathing room after wrapped games before getting grilled by the press. The Irish bloke felt the heat following a rough third round at the Masters, walking away from an interview post-round tumult.
Lowry, despite his rough round, had been playing solid until a couple bogeys on the final holes sent him sliding down the leaderboard. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, shined, and the interrogations kept coming Lowry's way about his close friend.
When asked about McIlroy, Lowry bluntly said, "Nah, I ain't gonna stand here yapping about Rory for 10 minutes. I'm trying to win this thing."
Now, imagine this guy's wish was tennis's reality – a break before answering the media's prying questions. Tennis players, unfortunately, don't have that luxury, but Lowry still feels it's crucial.
"Nah, I'm good mates with Rory, but the timing was off," Lowry shared with the Irish Star. "I just bogeyed the last two, I thought it was a tad much, you get what I'm saying? I believe a lot of players and even the media agree that I said the right thing."
He explained that immediate interviews can be overwhelming, especially following a disappointing round, and a little time boosts the player's ability to compose themselves and answer wisely. Bryson DeChambeau's comments about McIlroy, he suggested, could've been misconstrued had DeChambeau been interviewed later.
"You know what I mean?" Lowry continued. "So, I feel like it was a bit taken out of context. Bryson was understandably annoyed with himself for his play that day. But if you got Bryson 30 minutes later, I betcha he'd give you a different answer."
In sticky tournament situations, most players prefer silence, focusing on their game instead of chatting, Lowry concluded.
"Shane Lowry, inheriting Tennis's interview protocol, would advocate for a respite before facing the media's questions, as he believes it aids players in composing themselves and answering thoughtfully, similar to his experience in golf."
"Reflecting on his own interview and Bryson DeChambeau's comments about Rory McIlroy, Lowry opines that delayed interviews could prevent misunderstandings, as players can collect their thoughts and offer more informed responses, reducing the likelihood of statements being taken out of context."
