The switch of this year’s Horizon Irish Open to September has Shane Lowry contesting a first Genesis Scottish Open since 2016.
Lowry is among five Irish contesting this week’s $US 9m co-sanctioned PGA Tour tournament being staged for a fifth occasion on the Renaissance course to the east of Edinburgh.
The Irishman is returning to competition after a fortnight’s break following his T19th finish at the Travelers Championship, and a tournament he began and ended with a round of 64.
“This week’s Scottish and The Open next week are two very important weeks for me, as there are a lot of FedEx Cup points, a lot of Ryder Cup points, so there is a lot of stuff up for grabs,” he said.
“Of course, there is the Open Championship next week and needless to say, there’s the delight in heading to Royal Liverpool.
“You want to be getting into form this week, so that you can take it into the last major of the year, so it’s a big fortnight of golf.
“Also, this is my first time teeing-up here at the Renaissance and that’s because the Irish Open was always played in these couple of weeks leading into The Open, so with the Irish Open moved to September I just couldn’t take so much time off without competing going into The Open.
“My game is pretty good and I am pretty pleased with the way things have been going.
“Also, I’m pretty excited for the next few weeks as I can get my place cemented in the Play-Offs, and after that I have a few weeks at home in Ireland and also my defence of the BMW and then, hopefully the Ryder Cup”.
Lowry will next week head to Royal Liverpool having shared ninth place behind Rory McIlroy in 2014, and in what was Lowry’s third appearance in golf’s oldest major.
He was sharing third place behind McIlroy after the first round but with Lowry dropping outside the leading 10 until his closing 65 to share ninth with fellow Irishman Graeme McDowell, and seven adrift of McIlroy.
“I’ve got one eye on next week, and you have your ambitions of doing well next week and I did recall what I did nine years ago, but then it goes without saying I would like to do well this week,” he said.
“This is the Scottish Open and it’s one of the biggest events on the DP World Tour schedule.
“Though looking back nine years to that 2014 Open, all I can remember I shot a 65 on the Sunday though I don’t remember much about the course other than the first and the last holes.
“So, I’m looking forward to getting back there on Monday and seeing for the first time in a long time”.
Lowry will contest the opening two rounds in the company of Viktor Hovland and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler
IRISH TEE TIMES
Rory McIlroy – 7.59am
Seamus Power – 8.21am
Padraig Harrington – 12.30pm
Tom McKibbin – 12.41pm
Shane Lowry – 1.14pm
Leave a comment