Shane Lowry feels 'something big is not far away' in Scottish Open return

It’s not just new faces being attracted to play in the Genesis Scottish Open since its status was elevated through it counting for both the Race to Dubai and the FedEx Cup.

Shane Lowry pictured during last month's Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Picture: Rob Carr/Getty Images.

As a direct consequence of the Rolex Series event now being co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, Shane Lowry is teeing up in it at The Renaissance Club this week for the first time since 2016.

“I felt as if I was giving away something by not coming here,” admitted the Irishman of the FedEx Cup points in particular, having sat out last year’s first staging under the new partnership.

His lengthy absence had also been due to the Irish Open being staged either immediately before or leading up to the Scottish Open, but that headache was removed this year.

“It’s worked out well with the Irish Open in September and now I can come and make some much-needed Fex-Ex Cup points and take it into next week,” he added, referring, of course, to next week’s 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.

“I didn’t want an extra week off before The Open, so it’s nice to be here. I played in it many times over the years all around Scotland and it has always been a great event. But now you see the lads that are on the range right, it’s really good.”

On the back of finishing second to Dustin Johnson in the US Open at Oakmont a few weeks earlier, Lowry found himself in the marquee group with Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth at Castle Stuart seven years ago.

“I remember Inverness alright because I remember how badly I played,” he said of missing the cut after scores of 77-73. “Then I went to The Open at Troon and I was bad there, too. I don’t know what I was on after throwing away that US Open!”

As the Ryder Cup qualifying race reaches the business end, it is widely thought that Lowry is a good bet to be on Luke Donald’s team in Rome in September along with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.

“You don’t want to take anything for granted,” said Lowry, who made his debut in the biennial event at Whistling Straits in 2021. “It’s obviously a big deal for me. I feel as though I can add a lot to the team. I’ll show up and I love the big events.

“My best performances this year have probably been in the three majors, which shows a lot. And I really want to be there. It’s been a funny year for me. I played really, really good golf the first four months of the year and struggled on the greens.

“And then the last few months, I really feel comfortable. I have been there or there about. It’s been good golf, but not enough. I feel like something big is not far away and I am hoping it is going to come in the next couple of weeks.”

Before arriving in Scotland, Lowry took his oldest daughter, Iris, to Croke Park for her first GAA match. “She is only six, but just loves hanging out with me and was happy to come along,” he reported, smiling.