Inside Track: Lowry does a ‘Darby’ after sinking vital putt

Boundries of good spectator behaviour were crossed at this year’s Ryder Cup, and it wasn’t happening for the first time. This has been going on for years, mostly whenever the competition has an American setting.

This time, however, at the latest renewal of the bi-annual USA and Europe set-to, what was being spewed from behind the ropes had a highly personal smell to it, the drink-filled loudest of mouths making Rory McElroy, and to a lesser degree, Shane Lowry, their main targets for abuse.

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It’s one thing hollering and booing when a European hits a poor drive or misses a short putt – the Americans are renowned for that – but it’s the work of real guttersnipes when comments are made about player’s wife or family.

Frustration had obviously set in causing the Irishmen to answer back, but they might have been better off trying to close their ears to what was coming at them and instead answer with their clubs.

This is exactly what both did when were playing alongside each other in Saturday’s foursomes, Lowry’s eagle and McIlroy’s drive to within two feet at the hole when the diatribe from the sidelines was at its loudest was the perfect riposte.

All of that aside, the contest was good, Europe wiping the floor with the Yanks when there were two playing together. However, it was much different on Sunday when it was every man for himself.

The home team made a spirited comeback, and with only a four games to be decided were within an ace of pulling off a result that was most unlikely at the beginning of the day.

Europe were looking for a half to take their score to 14 points, enough to retain the trophy. The focus was on Shane Lowry on the 18th. His opponent Henley missed a relatively easy putt, and this left the Irishman needing to sink a six-footer.

Offalymen do pressure well, as we saw in the 1982 All-Ireland final. Lowry sank the putt to secure the trophy for his team, and then took off on the wildest of celebrations.

A couple of his leaps on the green were a reminder of what his countyman, Séamus Darby, came up with after beating Charlie Nelligan with the shot 43 years ago, depriving Kerry of the 5-in-a-row. 

For good measure, Europe came up with another point to win by 15-13.