Lowry staring at an anxious near month long Rome selection wait

Fatiha Betscher

7th August 2023

Shane Lowry is likely heading home for what could be a month-long but anxious Ryder Cup selection wait after failing to qualify for this week’s ultra-lucrative start to the PGA Tour Play-Off Series in Memphis.

There will be no Beale Street celebrations for Lowry after posting a closing level par 70 for an eventual three-under tally and a top-50 finish in the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

It was a disappointing last ‘regular’ season event for the Clara golfer who ended his 2022/23 season at No. 78 on the money-list standings, eight places shy of qualifying for Thursday’s starting elite FedEx St. Jude Championship on the TPC Southwind course in the home of the ‘Delta Blues’.

Lowry never really got going on the host Sedgefield course from his frustrating opening 68, then being involved in a very lengthy day two rules incident with playing partners Adam Scott and Justin Thomas to a pair of no frills weekend scores of two 70s. Indeed, he capped his round at the par-5 15th for all four rounds, posting birdies on day one and two and then eagled the hole on ‘moving day’ before day four when he landed his 226-yard second shot to just five-and-a-half feet for a second straight score of ‘3’. It put Lowry six-under on the 17th ranked hardest hole on the course.

But alas, not enough for the current World No. 30.

It is also a first occasion since the 2017/18 season Lowry, who has earned more than $17m in prize-money in his PGA Tour career, has not qualified among the leading 70 on the money list for the Play-Offs.

Lowry is now staring at a month off from competition ahead of teeing-up in the September 7^th commencing Horizon Irish Open at the K Club, three days after European Team captain Luke Donald announces his full 12-man Rome side.

Of course, Donald may have already spoken to Lowry to advise he will be on the charter flight to Rome while Lowry could be tempted to travel to Switzerland the week prior to the Irish tournament to tee-up in the Omega European Masters.

Whatever, it does seem Lowry is facing a ‘Am, I going to be picked for a second Ryder Cup cap or not?’ month’s wait until Donald goes public with his 12-man Rome side.