Yet so far, for Irishman Shane

whatever week it is. You’d give anything to have a chance of winning on that back nine on Sunday.

“I haven’t had enough moments like the Bridgestone. But I feel like I’m maturing nicely as a player and I am getting there.

“I have been knocking in and around the top 50 in the world for the last couple of years, so I’ve been doing alright.”

Despite his solid ranking of 44, Lowry also missed out on his other big target for the year – making the Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine.

He lost form at the wrong time as four successive missed cuts after the US Open all but ended his chances.

And with some of his best friends on Tour making their debuts, he doesn’t want to miss out again.

“I was desperate to make that team,” he rues. “I was trying to force it to play well and I got very down on myself too quickly.

“Hopefully in two years’ time when I’m in the same position, I’ll react a little better.

“I didn’t miss the three days of the Ryder Cup so much but more the build-up and seeing the pictures on social media when the guys arrived. There was a lot of jealousy.

“I felt I was good enough to be there. I’d have been good in the team-room and out on the course.

“Now I have to make sure I am one of the first names on the team for France. That is one of my goals for the next two years.”