Shane Lowry’s Dismal Finish at the Cognizant Classic
Shane Lowry squandered a three-shot advantage due to two double-bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, allowing Nico Echavarria to seize victory in the final round of the Cognizant Classic in Florida.
Lowry, who was co-leader after an impressive bogey-free 63 on Saturday, had established a strong position with four birdies and an eagle at the 10th hole through the first 13 holes.
However, disaster struck with back-to-back double-bogeys at the par-four 16th and par-three 17th, each resulting from tee shots that veered dramatically to the right and into the water.
This abrupt ending dashed Lowry’s chances for the title, leaving him sharing second place with two others.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed. I had the tournament in my hands, and I threw it away,” Lowry expressed. “What more can I say? That’s twice this year now.”
He reflected, “I played unbelievably all day, yet one bad shot on 16 completely threw me off for the final three holes. This has never happened to me before.”
Nico Echavarria, meanwhile, secured his third PGA Tour title with a 66, finishing the tournament at 17 under par after an impressive bogey-free weekend. “It was a blessing today,” he noted, acknowledging the good breaks he received throughout the round.
Lowry ended up tied for second at 15 under alongside American players Austin Smotherman and Taylor Moore. Brooks Koepka rebounded strongly with his own course-best 65, highlighting his return to form with confidence coming back to his game.
Jordan Smith and Aaron Rai finished as the top English competitors, each achieving a final-round 68 and tying for 23rd on the leaderboard.
