Lowry urges Irish trio to push for gold

SHANE LOWRY has urged Ireland’s three-man team to embrace playing at home and come out all guns blazing for Eisenhower Trophy gold at Carton House.

The Offaly star (31) walked 18 holes on the O’Meara Course with Tramore’s Robin Dawson, Kinsale’s John Murphy and Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell as they bid to become the first Irish team to win the World Amateur Team Championship.

The trio will get the action under way from the 11th tee on the Montgomerie Course from 7.56am today when they peg it up with the USA and defending champions Australia.

And given their talent and the fact that they know both courses better than the other 71 nations taking part, Lowry sees no reason why they can’t challenge for the ultimate prize after Ireland broke the mould by claiming a first bronze in Mexico two years ago.

“I was very fortunate to be able to play a tournament like the Irish Open on my home course when I live here at Carton, and that was the one thing I used to my advantage that week,” said Lowry, who won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009.

“I think that’s the way the Irish guys should be looking at it. People will be saying there’s added pressure, but in a way, I think playing a tournament on your home course is more of a benefit than anything.

“I think they should try to flip it around and use it as a positive rather than a negative.”

The field features 17 of the world’s top 25 with the USA boasting world number two Justin Suh, world number three Collin Morikawa and US Amateur semi-finalist Cole Hammer.

US Amateur champion Vikor Hovland from Norway and South Africa’s Jovan Rebula, who beat Dawson in the Amateur Championship final, are also in the world-class field.