Shane Lowry blasts PGA Championship setup after struggling at Aronimink

Shane Lowry has hit out at the PGA Championship setup at Aronimink after another frustrating week left him languishing down the leaderboard heading into Sunday’s final round.

Lowry, who has carded rounds of 68, 76 and 70 to sit tied for 64th heading into Sunday's final round, has openly criticised the PGA of America over how the course has been prepared, insisting officials “got it wrong” during the opening two rounds of the championship.

“Yeah I think it’s a great golf course, but I think it has been set up pretty poorly,“ Lowry said after Saturday's third round at the PGA Championship.

“And I guess that people sitting at home on the couch can say, ‘well, people are making birdies, some people are shooting good scores’.

“That’s always going to happen, they’re the best players in the world. But I was happy to hear Rory and Scottie’s comments yesterday, because it wasn’t just me feeling it out there.

“I feel like when you see the best players in the world struggling from 10 feet, you know that there’s something wrong somewhere.

“So I think they got it wrong the first two days. It looks like they’ve… it was certainly a little bit easier today, and it looks like that’s kind of maybe a reaction to the first two days, which is not right either you know.

“We want to play a similar setup every day, and you want to play a golf course that gets harder as the week goes on, especially in these major championships.

“You look at the field so bunched, maybe that’s the reason for the setup the way it is.”

Lowry's comments about the course setup at Aronimink have appeared to irk a number of fans on social media. 

Several fans accused the European Ryder Cup hero of complaining too much when conditions become demanding.

“So tired of the whining. I remember Jack & Tiger saying 75% of fields in majors are already beat cause of their attitudes. They are supposed to be hard,“ one fan wrote.

Another added: “Death, taxes and Shane Lowry moaning at a major... tradition unlike any other.“

Others defended the PGA Championship setup and suggested the difficult conditions were exactly what fans expect from a major championship.

“Course set up is fine. What has been pretty poor this week, is the attitude of several players,“ one supporter posted.

Another wrote: “These comments are crazy to me. Course is holding guys to reasonable scores and has produced a leaderboard full of stars with long-shots in the mix, and nobody is running away. Checks all the boxes for entertaining golf. I’d say they’ve set it up very well.“

One fan even accused players of wanting an easier test, writing: “Everyone plays the same course. Low score wins. These entitled millionaires complaining when a course is difficult is a pathetic look. Shut up and play and stop whining.“

Despite the backlash, Lowry was not alone in raising concerns about conditions at Aronimink, with both Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler also questioning aspects of the setup earlier in the week.

Lowry finds himself down at four-over par after three rounds.

The 2019 Open champion will join England's John Parry for the final 18 holes. 

Lowry, currently ranked 38th in the world, has chalked up three top-10 finishes from 11 starts around the world this season.

His last individual victory dates back to September 2022 at the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour.

You have to go all the way back to his sole career major win at the 2019 Open for his last individual win on the PGA Tour.