Irish golfer Shane Lowry said he feared being “slaughtered” on social media if he did not accept the two-stroke penalty he received at The Open Championship on Friday.

SO SHANE, APART from the irritating questions about drinking from the American media, the stone-cold putter, the squalls of bone-drenching rain, the two-shot penalty and now the vomiting bug. . . how’s your Open Championship week been?

It’s been a rough start for many in Portrush in The Open. The weather has played a huge part in proceedings as expected, with heavy rain spells and win making the conditions in Northern Ireland even tougher than they already are.