Mullingar Scratch reminds Lowry of golden years
THE Lowry name is inscribed not once but twice on the famous Mullingar Scratch Trophy and for Shane Lowry, the 72-hole strokeplay classic is not just a “must-play” event for any amateur with dreams of tour glory but a precious memory of a golden time in his career.
The Esker Hills man romped to an impressive eight stroke win over local favourite Dessie Morgan on 17-under par in 2008 with his younger brother Alan following in his footsteps two years ago.
But while he is now living the tour dream, he still looks back fondly on his trips from Clara to Mullingar, which he believes helped him become the player he is today.
“It’s always a great week and perfect for me because it was so close to home,” he said after taking time out to do a photo shoot to announce that Sherry Fitzgerald Davitt & Davitt will sponsor this year’s event over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
“I remember the crowds would be huge, especially when Rory McIlroy played. He was beaten by Simon Ward in a playoff one year and I just remember the crowds were massive, all down the first hole.
“I used to love it and I was so chuffed to win it — I think I won by eight shots. It’s just a really big tournament.”
The list of past winners is a who’s who of Irish golf with McIlroy (2006), Peter Lawrie (1996), Gary Murphy (1995), Pádraig Harrington (1994), Paul McGinley (1991), Darren Clarke (1989), Philip Walton (1982) and Des Smyth (1972) all following in the footsteps of amateur legends Joe Carr and Tom Craddock, who won the first two editions in 1964 and 1965 respectively.
With the amateur calendar more packed than ever, it saddens Lowry that not all the top players can find the time to squeeze Mullingar into their busy schedules.
“I’ll always remember Mullingar fondly. I’m sure it made all the difference to me,” He said. “If you can win over 72 holes around Mullingar, you’re doing a lot of things right.”