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Irish aces Rory & Shane find it all a struggle on return to Emerald Isle
RORY MCILROY and reigning Open champion Shane Lowry admit they are still finding their legs on European soil again as they gear up for Royal St George’s.
The homegrown stars failed to fire in yesterday’s Irish Open third round at Mount Juliet and are well off the pace set by Aussie Lucas Herbert (inset), who on 15-under is – a shot ahead of US hopeful Johannes Veerman.
Mcilroy missed a close-range birdie putt on his first hole that could have inspired a moving day charge.
Instead, he had dropped three shots by the time he reached the fifth tee. The Ulsterman carded a one over par 73.
Lowry, the Claret Jug winner in Portrush in 2019, finished a shot worse off at the Kilkenny venue.
The event’s other big name, Tommy Fleetwood, had a better day and a 68 leaves him six shots off the lead.
Mcilroy, 32, claims it is taking time to adjust having spent so long playing in the US.
“It’s really different, it just takes you a while to get used to it,” the former World No.1 said.
“Even though this is the golf we grew up on, Shane and I haven’t played a lot of this sort of style in a decade. It takes a week or two to get used to some of the lies around the greens, to how flat the greens are and not reading too much into it.
“I talked to Shane about that – just trying to get my eye in again, I guess.”
Lowry pointed to his double bogey on the third hole when his eight-iron approach found the water – instead of going with the seven-iron in the colder, damper conditions.
He said: “I got it going in the Irish Open last year after being in the States for so long, I got fooled with the conditions and the ball not going so far.
“Look, I’m not going to make excuses. I should have known. “I’m not stupid. I’ve been playing golf in Ireland long enough. I shouldn’t be making mistakes like that. “That’s what I was most disappointed in. When you’re at your best and playing good golf, you don’t make mistakes like that. “There’s been times where I made really, really stupid mistakes. I’m not too happy with it and need to clean that up.” Mcilroy plays the Scottish Open next week in a bid to further hone his game ahead of The Open. Lowry will play Irish links courses to prepare. “Hopefully I’ll have a good day and shoot a good score,” said Mcilroy of today’s final round. “I’m looking forward to next week as well. It’s good I added that in, it’s another competitive start.”