The scenario for Shane Lowry to end his maiden Major-victory season as European Tour No. 1 is simple – win the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. If so, as they say, the ‘rest’ should take care of itself.
So, after weeks of speculation and constant calculations, it’s yet again come down to the last event of the year.
Lowry arrived and left the Turkish Airlines Open flying first-class but on the ground, it was an economy class performance with the exception of Friday’s score of 65, as the Open Champ failed to break 70 in his three other rounds on the Montgomerie Maxx course.
He produced weekend rounds of a pair of 75s including a last day of just four birdies soured by three bogeys and a pair of double-bogeys for a distant share of 62nd place and tied at one-under par with Padraig Harrington (72)
“I tried my best out there the last couple of days and it just didn’t really happen for me,” he said.
“Maybe I was expecting too much after my good day of 65 on Friday. I don’t know. I was thinking about it going around, shows me that I am probably doing the right thing not going to Sun City.
“I am not going to make excuses. I said I wanted to go to Dubai fresh and I am excited for a few days off in Dubai with the family, and then towards the end of next week I will get the clubs out again and do a bit of practice maybe at the Els Club in Dubai.
“Hopefully I can go there and put up a good performance. No matter what happens in Dubai I will be happy with what I have got at the end of the year.”
With current European No. 1 Bernd Wiesberger also struggling in Turkey (Finished 49th at five-under par) the top three on the Race to Dubai remain unchanged.
Wiesberger has chosen to compete in this week’s Nedbank Challenge and a fourth Tour win would go a long way to secure the No. 1 title but given the weight of the points on offer, it again will be a Dubai decider.
“Dubai is going to be a big week. If you can go there and play well and compete, there’s going to be a good few lads with a chance to win,” said Lowry.
“It is maybe win the tournament or you won’t win the Race to Dubai. I have done quite well there. I like the place, I like being in Dubai.
“So, I have this week off and I’m sure I will get a little bit of hunger back for golf at the end of the week and put up a good performance.”
In a remarkable finish to the tournament in Turkey, a six-man playoff resulted in a worthy champion under lights as England’s Tyrell Hatton ground down long-time leader, Matthias Schwab to collect the $2million prize.
Full scoring HERE
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