With Ryder Cup qualification hanging in the balance, Shane Lowry couldn’t have picked a better moment to make a statement. Sitting just outside the automatic spots, the Irishman turned heads at the TOUR Championship—not only strengthening his case for Rome but also etching his name into the record books.

In Friday’s second round, Lowry shot a birdie from an incredible 97 feet on the par-4 14th. The ball rolled in from the edge where the rough met the green, making it the longest putt in FedExCup Playoffs history and the sixth-longest on the PGA Tour since ShotLink began tracking in 2003. The moment was shared by the PGA Tour Communications account on X.

Lowry capped the round with a sizzling 5-under, and while the Ryder Cup conversation will rage on, this putt alone served as a reminder: when the stakes rise, he knows how to deliver. And in doing so, he also jumped into another conversation entirely—the season’s longest putts. Earlier this year, Patrick Fishburn set the bar with a 105-footer, followed by Ryan Fox’s 91-footer at the Mexico Open.

The timing couldn’t have been better for the Irishman. Fighting to lock up his automatic spot, Lowry’s historic roll not only boosted his chances but also underscored why European captain Luke Donald has been so high on him. Speaking earlier, Donald praised his consistency: “There’s a bunch of guys from that 2023 team that are still performing well—the Viktors, Ludwig, Sepp, Shane, Fitzy has been playing really well.” This year, Lowry has recorded multiple notable finishes, including two runner-up finishes at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Truist Championship. Even with his past two appearances at the Ryder Cup, he has been a crucial part of the team. In 2021, he recorded a 1-2-0 record, while in 2023, it improved to 1-1-1.

And on Friday, Lowry gave him even more reason to believe. It wasn’t just a birdie, or even just a record; it was a statement that his Ryder Cup fire is burning as strong as ever. Meanwhile, fans on social media can’t help but gush over their excitement about Lowry’s monumental feat.

Fans’ reaction to Shane Lowry’s crazy putt at the TOUR Championship

It’s hardly a surprise that fans were quick to celebrate alongside Lowry. After all, he’s no stranger to a good party. Back in 2019, he famously skipped the St. Jude Championship to soak up his Open Championship win with his hometown crowd.

With loads of excitement and pride, one of the fans commented, “Another one of our own! Europe looking strong come Bethpage!” The European team, with its past performance, is in a strong spot. Out of the past seven editions, the team has won five. Until now, Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, and Tyrell Hatton have already made their place in the team with automatic qualification. Now with the strong putt from the Northern Irishman, and a probable prospect in the team. The fans are emerging in celebration to acknowledge the performance that he will bring at the Ryder Cup, which is just a few weeks away.

Another fan joined writing, “That’s absolutely insane! A 97-footer is just wild. Huge for his playoff run, and you know the markets are loving that clutch moment.” Lowry, with his par first round, was drifting away from the top spots, but with his clutch performance in the second round, including the 97-foot birdie, it came in unexpectedly. But the result is in favor of the golfer as he is currently placed T7 on the leaderboard. He broke the record of Charles Howell III, who earlier set the record with his 88 feet 5 inch putt in 2011.

Lowry even got support from the Irish fan as he wrote, “Its an Irish ☘️ putt 🥰.” In the history of golf, Gavin Lynch holds the record of the longest putt by an Irish of 142 yards. However, his putt is still awaiting official confirmation to be added to the Guinness Book of World Record. But with another Irishman showcasing the same, the fans are joining the celebration.

More fans joined writing, “💣💣Shane knows how to make history ☘️☘️@ShaneLowryGolf” and “Congratulations Shane 🎉.” Lowry, with another great record, left fans amused. Earlier, he became the first player to ever achieve a hole-in-one on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass and on the 16th at Augusta National. Now with his putt at the playoff, he turned another record to his name.

The golf world is in joy of celebration of the historic feat. This putt will not just strengthen his journey for the final playoff event, but will also help him in the Ryder Cup team selection. For the captain, there is nothing apart from praise left for the golfer. It would be exciting to see what the last two rounds at the TOUR Championship have to offer.