AND IT WAS on Sunday that Shane Lowry was given a break.
Having endured all manner of adversity across the week, Lowry enjoyed the climactic sunshine at Portrush, finishing with a five-under, six-birdie 66 that was illuminated by a hole-out from the fourth fairway.
“It was one of the most most enjoyable rounds of golf I’ve had in a while”, said Lowry. “I’m happy I finished like that, and I’ll drive down the road a little bit happier than maybe I would have been. “It’s still a week I put a lot into, and didn’t get much out of it.”
Prior to today, Lowry’s return to Portrush has been a punishing kind of trial. His terrific tee-to-green play across the first two days was thwarted by a cold putter, while Friday’s two-shot penalty was then compounded when he woke up the middle of the night with a vomiting bug, after which followed a zestless round of 74.
That round meant an early tee time this morning, and a bogey on the par-five second augured poorly. But he birdied three and then the tenor of everything flipped on the fourth fairway. Having laid-up from the bunker, Lowry hit seven-iron from 183 yards to the pin. The ball leaked a little right but kicked off a greenslide slope and ran into the hole. He would birdie all of holes seven, eight, nine and 12, allowing him to soak up the adulation of the grandstands on the final green.
His approach to that green went left, but he was inches from the perfect ending, seeing his chip clip the pin and roll a few feet from the hole.
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Lowry reacts as his chip on 18 almost drops. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
“I felt I was going to hole every putt I looked at out there for a while, which hasn’t been the case for a few weeks”, said Lowry. “So that was nice today.
“It was great all day. The crowds are amazing. We’re very lucky in Ireland to have the support we do. Our people get behind our sportspeople very well. I felt every bit of that today. The walk down 18 was very, very special.
“Obviously thinking it was a little bit different the last time I did it, but it was nice. It was nice to see the crowd come out today. Thankfully I put on a little bit of a show for them.”
Though these laps around Royal Portrush were very different to what happened in 2019, Lowry is unsurprisingly keen for another Open return. Asked when he would like to see the Open return to the island of Ireland, Lowry interjected and said, “Next year.”
There has been no confirmation as to when Portrush will host the Open again, with chatter on the ground suggesting it is more likely that the next Claret Jag to be lifted on the island will be hoisted at Portmarnock. The R&A confirmed this week they are conducting feasibility studies around the hosting of the Open at the famous Dublin venue, with a decision likely to be clear by the end of this year.
“Even the feedback from players and from everyone involved is how much they liked this tournament, how much they liked this venue”, said Lowry.
“As regards Portmarnock, I’ve heard they’re talking about it. I’ve heard they might go there. It would be amazing, 30 minutes from my house. I’d be able to stay at home and play in an Open. It’s one of the best golf courses in the world. I think it’s good enough to host an Open, and hopefully it will soon.
“I obviously travel the world and I live in America, and everybody I talk to wants to come to Ireland and play golf. People sitting at home in the States or all around the world watching this tournament on TV, it’s going to make them want to come even more.
“It’s great to have tournaments like this here. It’s great that we’ve got players that are in the tournaments and competing and competing well in it too, like obviously hopefully Rory can give it a decent run today.”
Lowry is now heading for a holiday with his family, before returning to the States for the FedEx Cup playoffs. His real focus, however, is squarely on September’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage.
“Obviously I would have liked to do better this week, there’s no doubt about that”, he said. “But it is what it is. I tried my best. I gave it everything I could, and it wasn’t to be.
“Obviously the playoffs are huge, but my focus and my work will be getting out of bed every morning to prepare for hopefully going to Bethpage and winning that Ryder Cup. It’s a big thing for us Europeans, and it’s a big thing for me. Major season is over now, so everything turns towards the Ryder Cup.”
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Lowry shifts focus to Ryder Cup after finally finding an enjoyable day around Royal Portrush
AND IT WAS on Sunday that Shane Lowry was given a break.
Having endured all manner of adversity across the week, Lowry enjoyed the climactic sunshine at Portrush, finishing with a five-under, six-birdie 66 that was illuminated by a hole-out from the fourth fairway.
“It was one of the most most enjoyable rounds of golf I’ve had in a while”, said Lowry. “I’m happy I finished like that, and I’ll drive down the road a little bit happier than maybe I would have been. “It’s still a week I put a lot into, and didn’t get much out of it.”
Prior to today, Lowry’s return to Portrush has been a punishing kind of trial. His terrific tee-to-green play across the first two days was thwarted by a cold putter, while Friday’s two-shot penalty was then compounded when he woke up the middle of the night with a vomiting bug, after which followed a zestless round of 74.
That round meant an early tee time this morning, and a bogey on the par-five second augured poorly. But he birdied three and then the tenor of everything flipped on the fourth fairway. Having laid-up from the bunker, Lowry hit seven-iron from 183 yards to the pin. The ball leaked a little right but kicked off a greenslide slope and ran into the hole. He would birdie all of holes seven, eight, nine and 12, allowing him to soak up the adulation of the grandstands on the final green.
His approach to that green went left, but he was inches from the perfect ending, seeing his chip clip the pin and roll a few feet from the hole.
“I felt I was going to hole every putt I looked at out there for a while, which hasn’t been the case for a few weeks”, said Lowry. “So that was nice today.
“It was great all day. The crowds are amazing. We’re very lucky in Ireland to have the support we do. Our people get behind our sportspeople very well. I felt every bit of that today. The walk down 18 was very, very special.
“Obviously thinking it was a little bit different the last time I did it, but it was nice. It was nice to see the crowd come out today. Thankfully I put on a little bit of a show for them.”
Though these laps around Royal Portrush were very different to what happened in 2019, Lowry is unsurprisingly keen for another Open return. Asked when he would like to see the Open return to the island of Ireland, Lowry interjected and said, “Next year.”
There has been no confirmation as to when Portrush will host the Open again, with chatter on the ground suggesting it is more likely that the next Claret Jag to be lifted on the island will be hoisted at Portmarnock. The R&A confirmed this week they are conducting feasibility studies around the hosting of the Open at the famous Dublin venue, with a decision likely to be clear by the end of this year.
“Even the feedback from players and from everyone involved is how much they liked this tournament, how much they liked this venue”, said Lowry.
“As regards Portmarnock, I’ve heard they’re talking about it. I’ve heard they might go there. It would be amazing, 30 minutes from my house. I’d be able to stay at home and play in an Open. It’s one of the best golf courses in the world. I think it’s good enough to host an Open, and hopefully it will soon.
“I obviously travel the world and I live in America, and everybody I talk to wants to come to Ireland and play golf. People sitting at home in the States or all around the world watching this tournament on TV, it’s going to make them want to come even more.
“It’s great to have tournaments like this here. It’s great that we’ve got players that are in the tournaments and competing and competing well in it too, like obviously hopefully Rory can give it a decent run today.”
Lowry is now heading for a holiday with his family, before returning to the States for the FedEx Cup playoffs. His real focus, however, is squarely on September’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage.
“Obviously I would have liked to do better this week, there’s no doubt about that”, he said. “But it is what it is. I tried my best. I gave it everything I could, and it wasn’t to be.
“Obviously the playoffs are huge, but my focus and my work will be getting out of bed every morning to prepare for hopefully going to Bethpage and winning that Ryder Cup. It’s a big thing for us Europeans, and it’s a big thing for me. Major season is over now, so everything turns towards the Ryder Cup.”
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Golf happier ending Royal Portrush Shane Lowry the open 2025