Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Shane is ready to Ryde on crest of his wave
SHANE LOWRY’S quest to add a Ryder Cup debut to his maiden major at Royal Portrush begins in earnest at this week’s BMW PGA Championship.
Wentworth will fire a starting gun on the race for crucial Ryder Cup points and the fact there’s a $7million pot in play gives the winner a sizeable head start.
Padraig Harrington wants Shane to lead from the front when Europe tee it up at Whistling Straits next September and I’m confident he will rise to the challenge.
Lowry will be announced on the first tee tomorrow as Open Champion for the first time on European soil, refreshing everyone’s memory of July’s triumph on the north coast.
His only two outings since that historic win were at the Northern Trust and BMW Championship in the States, where he finished T52 an T48 respectively.
It’ll be a special moment for Shane, who loves Wentworth and has impressed there in the recent past.
In his last eight outings there he has recorded four top-10 finishes, including a runners-up spot to Rory Mcilroy in 2014.
He’ll be eager to be part of the conversation again this year and should take confidence from the fact his game and career is in a really positive place.
The World No21 is exempt across the world for the next five years and will forever be a major champion – two facts that should gift him belief and peace of mind.
Heightened expectation will be the biggest challenge for Shane moving forward. He doesn’t have the best track record in terms of stepping up and dealing with favouritism, but there’s no reason why he shouldn’t embrace his enhanced profile. I’m sure he will seek the counsel of his major winning friends and the likes of Rory, Padraig and G-mac will understand the positives and pitfalls better than anyone else.
I know the Ryder Cup is a huge goal for Lowry and he has the luxury of plotting a schedule that gives him the best opportunity to realise his dream.
It is only human nature to feel the pressure of teeing it up as a major champion, but he has to realise he won it doing it his way and that is the best template for future success.
And while Shane has a great team around him, they too must realise that staying consistent and continuing to do things the Lowry way are key.
The Race to Dubai will be a huge goal and if he delivers between now and November, he could have a Ryder Cup slot wrapped up before Christmas.
That’s a massive incentive heading into the business end of the campaign.
Challenges lie ahead, but if keeps true to himself and his game, the rest will take care of itself.