'Nonsense. That's Links Golf Courses' - Paul McGinley Says Shane Lowry Will 'Regret' Open Set-Up Comments

Paul McGinley believes Shane Lowry will "regret" the mild criticism he expressed towards the R&A's set up of Royal Troon on Saturday following the third round of The Open Championship.

With a six-over-par 77 in the books, which saw Lowry drop from the top of the leaderboard by two to four back of overnight leader Billy Horschel, the Irishman let out a little frustration at the sheer length of some holes while winds of 30mph were forecast at certain points.

Lowry said: "Look, I don't really know what to say. It was a grind. It wasn't much fun. Driver, driver into 15. 16 playing ridiculously long. Driver into 17.

"Then you're standing on the 18th tee wondering if you can actually hit the fairway, if you can reach the fairway, and it's 230 yards to the fairway. Bear in mind my driver pitched about 220 yards on the 17th hole.

"So, yeah, it's not much fun out there. Circumstantial as well, it's obviously very difficult. But you'd have to question why there wasn't a couple of tees put forward today, to be honest.

"I think 15 and 17 -- like 15 is 500 yards playing into that wind, it's -- yeah, they keep trying to make holes longer, yet the best hole in this course is about 100 yards."

But McGinley - who was in the field at County Louth Golf Club as Lowry won the 2009 Irish Open as an amateur with a helping hand from adjusted course conditions - did not agree with the Major winner's assessment and speculated that he would "regret" the comments after likely feeling emotional at the end of what was a tough day.

Speaking on Golf Channel's 'Live From' set on Sunday night, following Xander Schauffele's two-stroke victory, McGinley rejected the notion that certain tees could have been shifted up to counteract the stiff breeze players faced on the back nine in particular.

He said: “No. Nonsense. That’s links golf courses.”

McGinley went on to reference the 2009 Irish Open where tee boxes were moved forward at the start of the second round in anticipation of rough weather all day.

In the end, strong winds were only a factor during the morning as McGinley backed up his opening 71 with a very respectable 68, and all those in the afternoon section - which included Lowry - were left with a light breeze and soft greens as they picked the course apart.

He continued: “And of course all the tee boxes were moved up and guys ripped it apart. Shane shot 62 and went on to win. But that’s the luck of the draw, and it’s part of links golf.”

From the neutral's point of view, what occurred in the second half of the third round was ideal as it bunched the field up tightly going into Sunday and left almost a dozen players in with a chance of lifting the Claret Jug.

The groups going out late on Saturday averaged around 1.5 shots worse than the early starters on the back nine, with Lowry one of five golfers to come home in 40 or more shots. Eventual Open Champion Schauffele wiggled back in 36 (+1) on his way to a superb two-under 69.

“Yes, the guys at the end [on Saturday] got screwed, and yes, the golfing gods decided to shuffle the pack by making the leaders play in the toughest weather conditions, but that’s the perils of playing links golf and that’s kind of part of what you have to accept,” McGinley said.

“Shane will regret that comment. I know what he’s like; he was hot when he came off. He let a great opportunity slip to win this tournament, and he knew that. He was hot he had to do press, and he said things that I’m sure he has regretted because nobody loves links golf courses more than he does.”