Dustin Johnson’s record putt in the FedEx Cup was smashed by Shane Lowry on Friday, as he doubled the previous best after he sank a 97-foot putt on the 14th hole
Shane Lowry smashed the FedEx Cup record for the longest putt on Friday(Image: 2025 Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos)
Shane Lowry put his Ryder Cup concerns aside and carded a seven-under 63 at the Tour Championship on Friday, and he set a new FedEx Cup record with a 97-foot putt.
Lowry smashed the record after putting from range on the 14th hole, surpassing Dustin Johnson’s effort from 2020. Johnson set the record after he made a 45-foot putt at the BMW Championship, and although Jon Rahm sank a 66-foot putt in the same tournament, it didn’t count as it was during a playoff.
It’s been a frustrating end to the season for Lowry, who hasn’t secured a top 10 finish on the PGA Tour since May. As a result, his Ryder Cup status has yet to be confirmed, and he faces an anxious wait.
Lowry has started well at the Tour Championship and is currently tied-seventh heading into the weekend. The Irish golfer was even after the first round, but shot 63 on Friday to climb up the leaderboard.
The 38-year-old is expected to be on Team Europe’s Ryder Cup team next month, but faces losing his automatic qualifying spot. If Rasmus Hojgaard finishes 29th or better at the Betfred British Masters this weekend, he will replace Lowry and take the sixth automatic spot.
Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, and Tyrrell Hatton have already secured their spots, leaving one guaranteed place. Hojgaard has started strongly at the British Masters and is tied eighth after two rounds.
97 FEET for birdie! 🤯
Shane Lowry with the longest putt in FedExCup Playoff HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/Gnc6FCsOU4
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 22, 2025
Europe captain Luke Donald is still expected to select Lowry if he loses his qualifying spot, but the Irishman faces a nervous wait. As expected, the Ryder Cup has been a common talking point at the Tour Championship, with several players scheduled to compete.
“Obviously, the chat is what the team is going to be like, who’s going to get picked, who’s not,” Lowry said in Atlanta on Friday. “This is with the guys in the locker room; obviously, it has nothing to do with Luke or anyone.
“But yeah, I’d be fairly focused on it [the Ryder Cup], that I want my game to build into it well. Obviously, I’m here to do well in the FedExCup this week, but I’d like to build my confidence over the next few weeks, over this week, Ireland, Wentworth, then hopefully into Bethpage and help the team as much as I can.”
Lowry hasn’t finished in the top 10 since May
Lowry has been so focused on golf that he didn’t realise Hojgaard had closed the gap in the Ryder Cup standings. “I only found out about that Monday,” Lowry said.
“I thought I was guaranteed getting points this week. I thought I was going to be pretty much guaranteed on the team.
“I was somewhat disappointed to hear that. But the rules were made at the start for qualifying, and that was it. I think I finished four points behind Tyrrell [Hatton], which is pretty much a shot, which would have been nice.
“But obviously, I don’t know what Rasmus is going to do this weekend. It looks like he’s probably going to pass me up, and I’m going to need a pick next week, so hopefully I get a nice phone call off Luke.”