Shane Lowry doesn’t know what lies in retailer for him at Royal Troon however he insists he feels pretty much as good as he did earlier than he claimed his first main win at Royal Portrush 5 years in the past.
After profitable on the PGA Tour with Rory McIlroy as his companion, the Clara man arrives on the Ayrshire coast in a really totally different temper to 2016, when he was nonetheless reeling after shedding a four-shot lead within the remaining spherical of that yr’s US Open at Oakmont.
“Look, I performed the Scottish Open final yr, I performed fairly properly after which I got here to The Open and no matter occurred, I didn’t carry out,” stated the Offaly man, who has had three weeks off to recharge for an additional crack on the Claret Jug. “I felt like the most effective factor to do that yr to prepare for this week was to not play final week and prepare at residence. So, that’s what I’ve achieved. I’ll let you know on Sunday night whether or not it has paid off or not. Sure, I’ll put together as greatest I can like every other week and provides it the most effective relating to it.”
The Open will ceaselessly stay particular for Lowry and he admits he feels an additional frisson of pleasure when he turns up for golf’s unique main.
“You drive in right here and also you see the Claret Jug when you’re registering and the historical past with it and the golf course and the magnitude of it’s simply massive,” he stated. “I believe it’s the largest event on the planet and it actually looks like that when you’re right here and it looks like that when you’re making ready. “You get somewhat bit uptight in weeks like this and I try to keep as cool and as calm as I can however finally I wish to play the most effective golf I can this week. “At sure levels all through the week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, there are occasions when you’re anxious and somewhat bit nervy about issues, however as soon as I get onto the primary tee on Thursday and hit my tee shot, I’m positive I can be okay and I’ll exit and do my greatest.”
It helps to come back into the occasion enjoying properly and Lowry is enjoying a number of the greatest golf of his profession having added a 4 prime 10s to his PGA Tour win alongside McIlroy within the Zurich Basic of New Orleans in April.
“It has been good,” he stated. “Don’t get me flawed, it’s my greatest season on the PGA Tour, up to now. I believe golf is a humorous sport, isn’t it? Within the final two months I’ve shot two 62s and an 85; it’s simply humorous. “I really feel like that’s simply golf and I really feel like if you’re to sum it up, that’s what it is rather like. You by no means take something with no consideration — the great instances don’t final ceaselessly and the dangerous instances don’t final ceaselessly. “You simply should get on with it when you may and journey the wave when you’re enjoying properly.
“I’m fairly pleased at the place my sport is at and fairly pleased with what I’ve been doing this season and clearly it doesn’t matter what has occurred over the past six months, it’s all about this week now and for me it’s about going on the market. “I’m completed apply at this time, and I’m going to return and sit back for the afternoon and get out right here tomorrow and do some apply, and hopefully, I can go into Thursday feeling good about myself and provides it a very good run.”
Lowry sees Royal Troon as a formidable check however simply as in 2019, he’s buoyed by some glorious type and renewed confidence on the greens.
“I really feel like I’ve turned a nook on the greens since even the Zurich Basic regardless that we gained, I did not really feel overly snug that week,” he stated. “The week after that I felt like I turned a nook on the greens and I am feeling fairly assured with the flat stick. “I at all times say once I come to those tournaments that if I gap some putts I will be harmful so fingers crossed.”
McIlroy struggled with sluggish greens within the Scottish Open final week however Lowry feels able to take care of the problem.
“I have been residence for just a few weeks now and placing on greens like this so it is the one factor once we got here right here two weeks in the past, it was my first golf this facet of America and I used to be pleased with how straightforward I used to be getting the ball to the opening,” he stated.
“Usually I battle on sluggish greens once I come again from the States, perhaps it is the brand new putter I am utilizing.”Lowry usually performs hyperlinks golf within the run as much as The Open however he was pleased to play just a few pleasant video games with buddies at Hogs Head in Co Kerry as a substitute and recharge his batteries.
“I used to be going to go over to Waterville but it surely was fairly busy,” he stated. “The climate was nice but it surely was like a 15 mile an hour wind. It was excellent. Precisely what I wanted.”
