Shane Lowry is winging his way to this week’s World Cup of Golf in Australia chasing a putting game that already headed south after a disappointing DP World Championship.
Lowry along with Irish team-mate Paul Dunne were not leaving Dubai until 3am Monday morning local time to take a near 14-hour flight to Melbourne.
Lowry already looked exhausted after posting a final round 73 for an overall four-under par tally in the final ‘regular’ event on the 2019 European Tour schedule.
A year after posting a Dubai closing day of 63 to brilliantly share second place, Lowry had to settle for 44th place on the Race to Dubai standings.
It is Lowry’s poorest money list standing since his maiden full season in 2010 and robs the Clara golfer of an automatic tee-time into next year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush as only the top 30 off the final Race to Dubai standings qualified.
Hurting Lowry was averaging 31.8 putts per the four Dubai rounds and to end the event lying well down in 53rd place in the 59-player field.
There were positives however as Lowry’s strong point was being ranked second in ‘greens in regulation’ for the week.
“The last hole sums-up my week as I hit two of the finest shots you will ever see and didn’t come close to putting-out for eagle, and that’s where my game has been the whole week,” he said.
“I need to find something in my putting over the next few days and I am going to do anything down in Australia.
“Paul’s a great putter and my game tee-to-green is going well and if can somehow dove-tail down there we could do alright.
“The one thing we should do going down to Australia, and it’s been a long year for both Paul and I, but then I am certainly not happy with my year and I don’t think Paul is either.
“So, we have a chance this week to salvage something so we each heading to Australia and just enjoy it as much as we can.
“We are playing for our country and try and get the best result possible, and that’s going to be the biggest thing and just enjoy the week in Melbourne. If you get down on yourself and we stay moping around then it just becomes a long week.”
Lowry had set a goal of ending this year inside the top-30 that would have earned him a tee time in next year’s historic Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
The Clara man will now have to achieve that goal getting himself back inside the top-50 on the World Rankings or earn his way to Portrush via one of the many qualifiers between now and July, 2019.
“It would have been nice to be heading to Australia knowing I was into The Open next year as that was my goal since coming back to play in Europe,” added Lowry.
“It’s not the end of the world as though as I will have plenty of chances in the New Year but I would love to wrap-up a place in all four Majors for 2019 soon.”
A win this week would take care of a lot for both Lowry and Dunne.
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