Shane Lowry Hopes to Avenge Last Year's Honda Classic Loss

Last year, Shane Lowry lost in a playoff at the Honda Classic after getting caught in a downpour on the 18th hole. The Irish golfer said that being stuck in bad weather conditions was "as bad a break as I've ever received."

This year, Lowry hopes to avenge his loss by finishing at the top of the field. He's a strong favorite to win this week's tournament.

Lowry wanted to withdraw from the tournament to be with his family in Ireland

Lowry was a self-taught golfer who picked up the game in his late 20s. Growing up in a small town in Ireland, he had plenty of friends and family who supported him as he pursued professional golfing. Additionally, Lowry has an older brother who has followed in his footsteps by joining the Irish amateur circuit.

When the coondemic hit, many European Tour pros were faced with a difficult choice: stay home or travel across the pond for the remainder of their season. Lowry chose to return home to be with his wife, daughter and family in Ireland - a decision which proved difficult for many others as well.

Since then, Lowry has become a beloved figure among Irish fans. He won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009 and went on to claim his first major title at last year's Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

His victory was an amazing accomplishment for his family, particularly for their young daughter that he and Wendy share. Additionally, it marked a major milestone in Alan's career as well - following in his father's footsteps.

Lowry hopes to avenge last year's Honda Classic loss in honor of his late uncle and other family members back home. It's been a difficult couple of years for the Lowrys, but they are ready to celebrate their love and support with an unforgettable weekend at the Honda Classic.

Lowry has been an impressive player this year, and his recent victory at the Genesis Invitational in Arizona should make him a tough draw at Honda. With such an impressive history at this tournament, Lowry should be able to post an impressive score.

But Lowry will need to keep his cool if he hopes to avenge last year's defeat. Lowry's game has been inconsistent lately, and he had trouble finding the ball at times on Saturday. While making some nice shots and having some birdies, he missed several bogeys and a double bogey on the last hole. On the final stroke however, Lowry was able to chip close for birdie four and that should help him reach the clubhouse in style.

He was talked out of it

After an impressive West Coast Swing, the PGA Tour moves east for Florida's swing this week, beginning with the Honda Classic at PGA National. This event has produced several high-profile winners such as Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington.

This year marks Honda's final year as title sponsor for this tournament, and organizers want to pay tribute and look ahead while celebrating its future. That is why they've created a special commemorative edition of the Honda Classic.

Shane Lowry will wear a green and white ribbon in memory of his uncle Jimmy, who passed away on Thursday at age 66. Initially, Lowry wanted to withdraw from the Honda Classic so he could spend time with his family; however, he was talked out of that decision by family members.

Now, Lowry is seeking revenge for last year's Honda Classic loss in memory of his late uncle. With a chance at joining Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler as two-time champions in this event, Lowry must put together another strong round on Sunday in order to do so.

He'll need to avoid any bogeys and keep his ball in play. His season average of strokes gained on the greens is 186th this season, while he ranks 108th when close to the hole; thus, if he wants a chance at victory it will require that his putter pick up speed.

Lowry is coming off a strong T-14 finish at The Genesis Championship, and the course provided him with the perfect opportunity to find his rhythm. This week he'll have the advantage of playing in a lighter field and should be able to capitalize on it.

Lowry had a challenging first round, but his fifth-round 65 saw him move into the lead at nine under par and four shots behind Chris Kirk. Despite that success, Lowry knows there is work to be done if he wants to compete for any major championship next year. To improve his game further, Lowry must get his putting game back on track and build confidence before competing at another major tournament.

He’s in contention

Last year, Lowry came close to winning the Honda Classic but ultimately fell short against Sepp Straka.

Thankfully, Lowry is in better shape this year to challenge for the title. After starting with a flawless round of four-under par 67, he has moved into contention for the Honda Classic.

His second round even-par 70 took him to three-under for the week and within two shots of the lead. England duo Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, as well as reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland are a few shots back.

The 32-year-old, still searching for his first PGA Tour victory, has been on fire this season and especially impressive when it comes to approach play. Over his last 36 rounds he's gained 0.48 strokes on approach shots.

Lowry may have the edge in a field that's not as strong. If he can maintain his round and get the necessary breaks, Lowry has an opportunity to win the Honda Classic for a second time.

On Friday, Chris Kirk will need to be at his best. It's a challenging opening round with several long par 4s to contend with and plenty of players on the circuit who haven't won a dollar in eight years like Chris Kirk.

Lowry has the potential for a thrilling Honda Classic victory if he can complete his round and capitalize on the par-3s. After years of practice on courses like this one, Lowry should be in good shape to contend for victory.

He also boasts a history of success on the European Tour, having won both the Irish Open in 2009 (which he shared with Padraig Harrington) and been runner-up at both British Opens twice.

Lowry has always had the support of his family behind him, both on and off the golf course. His grandfather - an All-Ireland winning Gaelic football player - supported him when he was an amateur and has been there ever since.

Lowry credits his family's support system with getting him where he is today. A proud son, Shane has been given the chance to pursue his dream career. Now, everyone around him recognizes him as an incredible golfer with potential to become a major star on the PGA Tour.

He’s got a chip on his shoulder

At the start of the Honda Classic, Shane Lowry had just learned of his uncle Jimmy's passing. At first, Lowry wanted to withdraw from the tournament so he could be with his family in Ireland; however, he was ultimately talked out of it.

Now that the tournament has started, Lowry hopes to make up for last year's Honda Classic loss in honor of his uncle Jimmy. Wearing a green and white ribbon this week in memory of Jimmy, Lowry is in an excellent position to make him proud by winning this year's event.

Lowry has made his first three cuts of the season without missing a shot and is currently ranked 20th in the world. This week he's playing in his 11th Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where he resides and is familiar with the course.

After making a slow start, Lowry reeled off three birdies in a row to move into a tie for 14th place. He then bogeyed the 10th hole but rallied with two more birdies to finish tied for fifth, four shots behind Chris Kirk.

Lowry is excited to be part of the field, but he knows that this event requires strength and good fortune. But he also believes he's up for the challenge.

Last year at the Honda Classic, Lowry faced a difficult moment when he lost a one-stroke lead to Sepp Straka on the 72nd hole. After playing well on his front nine, Lowry had an opportunity to make up ground but hit his tee shot into the water, missing a birdie putt and taking one stroke back.

In the end, Lowry's effort wasn't enough to overcome Straka and he would go on to win by one. It served as a painful reminder of his unlucky experience in competing in his native country.

Lowry will take the final round of the Honda Classic with a chip on his shoulder as he strives to avenge his uncle's passing and demonstrate that his game is as sharp as ever before.