I can add a chapter to this story New
ACE LOWRY INSISTS THE BOOK IS STILL OPEN ON HIS MAJOR CAREER
A MAGICAL weekend in Portrush three years ago saw Shane Lowry enter that exclusive club as a Major winner.
Lowry was thrilled to be an Open winner (left) and celebrated in style but, arriving at St Andrews yesterday ahead of the final Major of the year, his hunger is far from sated.
In fact, it is only enhanced by his success. “The fact you’ve tasted it and you know how much it means, you almost even want it more now,” said the Clara man.
“Definitely winning one makes me realise how amazing it was and how much I want it.
“There’s no way it’s going to be easier because you’ve won one.
“If I’ve a chance to win and I’m up against someone who hasn’t won one, it doesn’t give me a God-given right to win it.
“But I definitely know if it comes to it then I have what it takes, and you can take that to the grave with you.
“That’s the most satisfying thing about winning one, you know you have it in you – but you have to try and put yourself there as much as you can again.
“Sure it’s the reason I go practice, the reason I go play is to try and achieve something like that again.
“It’s almost like a selfish thing. You really, really want it so bad because that internal feeling is so hard to describe and it is actually hard to get.
“You spend your whole time searching for that again.”
Lowry has been so consistent this year and it feels like another win is within reach.
Surprisingly, that memorable links victory three years ago, when he stormed ahead on moving day before hanging on to keep Tommy Fleetwood at bay, remains his last tournament success.
“It is frustrating,” he added. “I’ve been very close this year, which is even more frustrating.
“But I feel like I’m doing all the right things and golf is such a game of self-talk and trying to stay positive all the time, and that’s the way I am.
“I’m just trying to stay positive, just trying to keep telling myself I’m playing well, having a good year and just waiting for it to happen.
“I can’t say it will happen, I hope it happens soon and I obviously hope that it’s this week!”.
Despite the win drought Lowry will tee off on Thursday as one of the Open favourites behind Rory Mcilroy and John Rahm.
His prowess on links courses, his consistency and his status as a past winner all points to him being in the mix on the Old Course.
“I don’t really mind it at this stage,” said Lowry, who doesn’t regard expectations as a burden.
“I’m not that used to it. It doesn’t matter if you are 8/1 or 180/1, it is what it is, it’s just you against the golf course, you against your own head and your mental battle against yourself.
“Everything it takes to win a Major, it’s you against all of that.
“I have more expectations of myself than anybody else has of me.”
During his practice rounds this week, and over the first day or two of the tournament, Lowry will look around and up at the iconic yellow and blue leaderboards and signage dotted around the course and it will take him back to other Opens.
Memories of the good, the bad and the ugly – that victory, missed cuts and even a quadruple bogeyed Road Hole at St Andrews seven years ago. It will be important to feed off them in a positive way.
“You get to an Open and a lot of time you’re on your own,” said the 35-year-old.
“You start to think about what
could be, how close you are to achieving something not many people have, if you’re going well.
“That’s when you lean on people around you like (his caddy) Bo, and you talk. I’m a believer that you get things out there and when you talk about something, and then it becomes easier.
“I do allow myself to think, allow myself to dream. When it comes to game time, I’m back to playing golf. Playing it round by round, shot by shot.
“There will be certain times when you’ll look up at the leaderboard on 18, the grandstands full and you’ll be kind of visualising maybe walking down there with a couple of shots lead and it would be nice.
“There’s a long way to go between now and Sunday.
“But I’ll allow myself to do that at some stage, I’m sure.
“Hopefully I’ll have a chance to win a Major again. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to win an Open again, and hopefully that will be this week. When it comes to it I know I’ll have it inside to go and win it.”