Shane Lowry reunited with missing golf clubs just in time before PGA Tour event

Musician Andy Irvine ‘absolutely overjoyed’ his bespoke musical instruments were found at Copenhagen Airport

Having been informed that his clubs were in Chicago, where he had changed flights, Shane Lowry has expressed the hope that can be forwarded to him in Greensboro, North Carolina. Photograaph: David Davies
Having been informed that his clubs were in Chicago, where he had changed flights, Shane Lowry has expressed the hope that can be forwarded to him in Greensboro, North Carolina. Photograaph: David Davies

Irish golfer Shane Lowry has found the golf clubs which went missing in the baggage chaos at airports this summer.

He had appealed for the return of his clubs which went missing on a United Airlines flight from Dublin Airport to Chicago where he was due to get a connecting flight to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lowry posted a humorous sketch from Fr Ted on his Twitter page in which Fr Ted berates Fr Dougal for having lost Fr Jack to which Dougal responds: “As I said the last time Ted, it won’t happen again.”

Lowry added: “Can you help find my missing golf clubs and suitcase @DublinAirport” Anybody there able to help find them. There will be rewards.”

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Later he received an update from Dublin Airport that the bags were in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. It emerged that his golf bag and suitcase were there.

He added: “Thanks to the lads at @DublinAirport who confirmed my bags are in Chicago. @AerLingus @fly2ohare @united can you help get them to me in Greensboro?”

Clearly the golf clubs have arrived in Greensboro as he tweeted a triumphant photograph on Wednesday morning with his Srixon club bag above his head. “Back in business. Thanks to everyone who helped me get those back before tomorrow’s opening round.”

Lowry is playing at the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club and is due to tee off on Thursday morning.

It’s the final PGA Tour event of the regular season and he is one of the favourites to win with many of the established names have finished their season already.

Meanwhile, world-renowned Irish traditional musician Andy Irvine said he is “absolutely overjoyed” that his bespoke musical instruments were found at Copenhagen Airport on Monday.

Irvine, who turned 80 last month, flew to the Skagen Folk Festival in Denmark on June 29th. He took three flights to get there flying from Dublin to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, then Frankfurt to Copenhagen and on to Aalborg with SAS.

The specially built guitar-bouzouki and a mandola have accompanied Irvine many times around the world. They were custom-made for him by instrument maker Stefan Sobell in Northumberland. He has played them on multiple records which set benchmarks for Irish traditional music with groups such as Planxty and Patrick Street as well his solo material. He estimated their value at €16,000

“I though the airlines would eventually get it together and they have done, I’m thrilled and they were in tune,” he said.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times