WHEN IT IS put to Shane Lowry that he comes into this week’s Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet in good form, he breaks out into a grin.

“Yeah, well, off the back of a missed cut,” he chuckles.

True as that is, Lowry having missed out on the weekend at the US Open a couple of weeks ago, he does indeed return to Co Kilkenny with a pep in his step having recorded three top-three finishes this season – one of those at The Masters – and a further three top-15s.

He’s the marquee name in the field this week and the anticipation is that he can provide the home winner the crowd are wanting at Mount Juliet, particularly given he holds legendary status at the Irish Open, not just because he’s Irish but after his sensational win at Baltray as an amateur in 2009.

By now Lowry is used to the pressure. He’s a Major champion, after all, and as the World No.24 there is a certain expectation on him to produce every time he tees it up. And yet, even with that weekly pressure, there’s something different about not letting down your home fans.

“I treat it like any other tournament,” insists the former Open champion.

“Especially this year, when things have been going well and I’ve been playing quite good, there’s no point shying away, I’m one of the highest ranked players in the field, one of the top Irish players, one of the players that people really want to do well. There’s expectation there.

“I come off the back of the ninth green (in practice) and there are lots of kids there waiting for me, the last thing I’m going to do is walk past them just because I want to protect myself or play well. I kind of have to do a bit of both where obviously I want to play well when it comes to tomorrow at eight o’clock. When I’m standing on the 10th tee, I’m going to be in game mode.

Members of the crowd watch Shane Lowry tee off. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

“All around that, I’m just going to be myself and be as good as I can with everyone and just give people what they want because I think that’s just nice. When I was a kid coming to the Irish Open, that’s what I wanted. So it’s nice to be able to do that.”

That missed cut at Brookline still doesn’t sit quite right with him, though. Having finished the second round as part of the morning wave at four-over-par and seemingly pretty safe to make the weekend, a surprise decision by the USGA to water the greens between the two waves proved pivotal.

Scoring improved in the afternoon and, watching on in frustration in the house he had rented for the week, Lowry watched himself miss the cut by one.

“I have to say that was one of the more disappointing Friday evenings I’ve had,” he grimaces.

“But that’s the way it is. I got a similar draw at the PGA, managed to make the cut, ended up having a half decent week. You just move on.

“I got an explanation from the USGA that it doesn’t do anything to the playability of the greens, but I don’t believe that. That’s what I’ve been told. I don’t think the greens were getting any way ridiculous at any stage. I’ve played in US Opens that were worse than that. So I was disappointed.”

Winning at Mount Juliet would be the perfect tonic, provided he manages those expectations but also that he is able to overcome the off-course distractions as well, particularly when it comes to dealing with the fall-out from the ongoing growth of LIV Golf.

To combat the Saudi-backed breakaway Tour, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour last night announced an expansion to their Strategic Alliance which will see a better pathway to the PGA Tour for DP World Tour members, as well as increased prize funds on the DP World Tour.

“I think it strengthens world golf, the fact that the two main tours in the world have come together. I think that’s only good for golf,” said Lowry, who was part of a mandatory players’ meeting to inform them of the new 13-year partnership last night.

Where it leaves the Irish Open itself is a different matter, with DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley admitting that there are no plans for it to follow the Scottish Open and become a co-sanctioned event – something which would likely increase the prize fund and guarantee a better field each year.

“I think this tournament itself, you look at this week, we’ve got a great new sponsor, €6million prize fund. This is one of the biggest tournaments on the European Tour all year,” countered Lowry.

“Look, there’s no doubt about it, we don’t have the best field here this week. We have a few of the top players in the world, myself and Seamus (Power), and we have Paddy (Padraig Harrington) coming back from winning the US Open, which is great, but we would like to have a stronger field here, there’s no doubt about that.

“Personally, I do feel like the date could be looked at. We talk about this every year, and I’ve talked about it with the Tour every year, and we’d love to have the date where we can guarantee Rory (McIlroy) coming back and playing here every year, what works for his schedule.

“Because at the end of the day, we do need to acknowledge what he’s done for the tournament and what he needs to do to get ready to play his Majors, because that’s what it’s all about for him at the moment.

“But I’m not working for the Tour or behind the scenes. I don’t really know what goes on into having tournaments at certain dates. There’s nothing much else I can say about that.
“But I think we’re here this week. We’ve got a great new sponsor guaranteed for the next six years. I’ve played with the CEO, a lovely man who seems very involved and wants to grow the tournament and make it like a festival for Irish golf. So I think we’re in good hands going forward.”

All it needs is an Irish winner this week to cap it all off, and Lowry, who was in attendance at Mount Juliet in 2004 when Ernie Els won the WGC-American Express, is hopeful that it can be him lifting a second title on Sunday.

“Obviously I’d love myself to do well this week. I’d love myself to be the Irishman to do well. I’d love it if Seamus or Padraig, or even anybody, we were all up there on Sunday afternoon and one of us won it. It would be great for the tournament and it’d be great for golf if that was the case,” smiles the Offaly man.

“If you’re picky, you’d love to play four really good rounds, give yourself a chance. If you win, you win. If you don’t, you have confidence going into St Andrews (for The Open).

“For me, it’s obviously about doing really well in this tournament and trying to keep my confidence levels high and keep my good golf going and keep hitting the ball solid. We’re probably going to get some tricky conditions at some stage this week.

“I’ve been knocking on the door this year and I feel like it’s not far away. If it’s not this week, I do hope it’s at St Andrews.”

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