Shane Lowry falls short as Sepp Straka edges PGA Tour thriller

May 12, 2025

Shane Lowry suffered PGA Tour heartbreak at the Truist Championship on Sunday after finishing tied for second.

A thrilling tournament in Philadelphia ended with Sepp Straka claiming the title by two shots ahead of the PGA Championship on Thursday.

Lowry and Straka headed into the final round tied for the lead on 14 under, and the duo looked to be heading into a playoff when standing on the 16th tee.

However, the Irishman missed a five-foot putt for par to leave Straka one shot ahead heading into the final two holes. Another bogey on the 18th ensured the Austrian’s victory, with Lowry finishing tied with Justin Thomas.

It would have been Lowry’s first PGA Tour win since 2019, but despite the disappointment, the 38-year-old can take confidence heading into the second major of the year at Quail Hollow.

Patrick Cantlay finished tied for fourth alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Jacob Bridgeman. Rory McIlroy enjoyed another strong tournament and tied for seventh, six shots off the lead.

Straka, who was Lowry’s Ryder Cup team-mate, called the victory the biggest of his career. He told Sky Sports: “It [winning] is huge, the biggest win of my career.

“Yeah, just so grateful for the process and the whole team that kind of makes me play as well as I do.

“My coaches weren’t here this week, but they’re there almost every week. Even this week when they weren’t here, there’s always a back and forth, and they’re always working on my game to help me succeed. It’s great to see their hard work pay off.”

Coming off the back of his first major in 11 years at Augusta last month, McIlroy will be in a bullish mood heading to Quail Hollow. It’s a course he has won four times, and he’s looking forward to making his mark.

He said:”I thought on the greens was good even though I didn’t hole a lot of putts today. My approach play got a little better as the week went on, I just need to hit a few more fairways.

“I feel with next week and the tee shots I have to hit there, it’ll set up better for me. I’m looking forward to getting to Quail Hollow and seeing some more familiar visuals.”