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'It Was One Of The Best Days I've Had On A Golf Course' - Shane Lowry

Sunday, 23 May 2021 23:51

By Robbie Fahy X @RobbieFahy

It's his sixth top-ten and third top-five in major championships.

 Shane Lowry went into the final day at Kiawah Island talking up his chances of a top-ten and he duly delivered in the wind in South Carolina. 

Playing alongside Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington, he shot a three-under par round of 69 to cap a superb week not only on the leaderboard but also his chances at making Harrington's team. 

It backs up his T-21 finish at The Masters and will fill the Clara man full of confidence ahead of his Open Championship defence in July. 

Here's what Lowry had to say about a round that his playing partner called his favourite in a long time: 

Yeah, got off to a bit of an iffy start on the front nine, was making birdies and bogeys and only two pars on the front nine and I was 1-under, but I was pretty happy. You know, it's difficult out there, a different wind. Those holes 10 through 13 are really difficult. Even coming back downwind it's not easy.

I'm going to go away from the weekend -- I went away from the Masters like this, just a little bit more so this week, I'm going to go away from this weekend feeling what if, but that's a great feeling to have, feeling like I was close to having a great chance this week. I don't know what the leaders are going to do on the way in, but I think even 4- or 5-under might have some sort of a sniff if you finish on that. When Paddy chipped in on 14, I was like, ooh, Paddy has got a chance here. I was kind of trying to cheer him on and play my own game, but honestly playing with Paddy today was one of the best rounds of golf I've ever had. It was so much fun. The two of us had that coming off, we're obviously grinding it out to beat each other and trying to do well in the tournament, and it's just -- it was one of the best days I've had on the golf course. I played lovely golf again and very happy going into my week off now.

When asked whether Padraig should consider picking himself for the Ryder Cup, Lowry quipped:

Yeah, well, he hasn't lost it, has he. He's still the ultra competitor. You know, he chipped in on 14. I was like -- and then he bombed a drive down 15. I was like, wow, if Paddy can make one or two on the way in, he's got a good chance here. Yeah, he's 50 in August, so God help those guys on the Senior Tour.

And on his own Ryder Cup chances? 

Oh, no, look, I'm in the position I'm in. This is another good week towards it. It's always good to play well in front of him under the gun because I play a lot of golf with him, practice rounds, but for him to see me in competition was pretty nice, as well.

So yeah, look, I've got a lot of golf to play between now and then. Like I said a few weeks ago, there's another two major champions to be crowned the rest of this year. We've got a lot of big tournaments, a lot of good golf to play, and hopefully I can make that team, and like I always say, I don't just want to make the team, I want to go to Whistling Straits and I want to win the trophy. That's where my head is at this year, and I feel like I'd be a great part of the team if I do manage to get on it.

But who would The Open Champion like to see win? 

It's up and down, the scoring was obviously very good early because the first few holes are playing easy and then those nine holes into the wind are playing very tough. So it's kind of -- yeah, like 16 is obviously a good chance, but you need to drive the ball well. I drove the ball very well today and all week, so you do need to drive the ball well to have any chance of doing -- of going at the flags.

So yeah, it's going to be -- I'm looking forward to watching it.

It's so hard to know. It's hard to call it. It would be unbelievable for golf if Phil did it. It would be a great story. But we'll just have to wait and see.

 

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