Why did Shane Lowry split with Open-winning caddie Brian "Bo" Martin? Real reason explored

Irish golfer Shane Lowry has reportedly split with his caddie Brian 'Bo' Martin. The news is especially heartbreaking since the duo has won several accolades, including the 2019 Open Championship since they began working in 2018.

Shane Lowry's break-up with Brian 'Bo' Martin was confirmed by the golfer's management company, Horizon Sports Management. It is believed that the pair had lost their competitive spark, which is the alleged reason behind the split. The duo, however, will remain close friends.

Tension could be sensed between the two at the Masters last year when Lowry was seen taking Martin's case over an incident of misclubbing on the 13th hole in the third round. Sources close to the duo have said that the rocky start to the season led to a lack of chemistry between them.

Shane Lowry was the only man to lose all four matches at the Hero Cup. The possibility of a break-up again turned rife after Lowry lost his tie for the lead in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, only to lose to Viktor Perez by nine strokes.

Shane Lowry's cut from the recently concluded Dubai Desert Classic was the final nail to the coffin for his partnership with Martin.

However, the split has left Lowry searching for a replacement for an important five-in-a-row week run starting next week. He is slated to play in the WM Phoenix Open, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, the Honda Classic, Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and the Players Championship at Sawgrass. The tournaments have a combined purse of $93.4 million.

The Ryder Cup will also take place this year, which is on the priority list for Lowry.

---

"He was unbelievable today": Shane Lowry about Brian 'Bo' Martin after winning the 2019 Open Championship

Shane Lowry and Brian 'Bo' Martin at the 2019 148th Open Championship - Day Four (Image via Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Shane Lowry first paired up with Brian 'Bo' Martin at the Portugal Masters in 2018. The duo won the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush just a year later.

The fresh pairing worked wonders on the greens, and Lowry agreed to it. He said:

"Bo has been incredible the last year. He started caddying for me about September last year, and just when I started to play well again. So he's just, like, he's brought a new lease on life to me. He is so thrilled."

He further added how nervous he was:

"He was unbelievable today. He kept on my back all day, kept talking to me, he kept in my ear. I kept on telling him how nervous I was, how scared I was, how much I didn't want to mess it up, how that I can't -- all I could think about was walking down 18 with a four- or five-shot lead. And lucky I got to do that."

He added how brilliant the results have been:

"But, yeah, he was great at keeping me in the moment today. He's been great for me. Like I said, you see my results since then have been good."

Lowry talked about how he had become good friends with Brian 'Bo' Martin:

"I've known Bo a long time. He's now become a very good friend of mine. And to be able to share it with someone so close was very special."

The pair went on to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and BMW PGA Championship over their four-and-a-half years of partnership.