Lowry undecided on Galgorm participation

SHANE Lowry is desperate to tee it up in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open next month but his participation at Galgorm Castle is uncertain due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Co Offaly star (33) admitted after squeaking into this week’s first Fedex Cup play-off event that he’ll wait a few weeks before making a decision on playing from September 24-27.

Lowry (below) will have to fly from the US Open in New York to the UK rather than Dublin if he wants to avoid a 14 days of quarantine on arrival.

“We’ll see what happens,” the Open champion said after finishing tied-23rd inthewyndham Championship to make the top-125 in the Fedex Cup table.

“There’s been quite a few cases over the last few days in Ireland. So, look, I don’t want to make any decisions. What is it, six weeks out? I’ll make them over the next couple of weeks.”

It’s understood Lowry and his team are actively seeking precise health and travel advice from the UK and Irish authorities on the protocols he must follow on his return to Europe. CONTINUED ON

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RONALD Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino are the leading contenders to be the new Barcelona manager after Quique Setien left his role as first-team coach last night.

Setien (below), who replaced Ernesto Valverde in January, had signed a contract to keep him at the La Liga outfituntilthesummer of 2022, but following Friday night’s humiliating8-2losstobayernmunich in the Champions League quarter-finals, there was