Shane Lowry is quietly confident about his game heading into this week’s Masters at Augusta National and admits he would “give anything” to become the first Irishman to pull on the green jacket.
Determined that he is not here to make up the numbers, the Clara man arrives in encouraging form with two top-5s and a top-20 at the PLAYERS pushing him back inside the world’s top-40 but insists he is not one of the favourites for the title.
Rather modestly, Lowry admits he is a level below the likes of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark but has no doubt he has the game to upstage the big names and win the green jacket.
“There’s a lot standing between me and that because obviously it would be a huge achievement,” he said of potentially becoming the first Irishman to win the Masters. “It’s something I have thought about over the last number of years and I would give anything to be that person.
“It’s hard to look past the top players in the world. Am I in the next category? Probably. I’m not here to make up the numbers I live for weeks like this and it’s the reason I get out of bed in the morning. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead, it’s hard to look past the likes of Scottie, Rory, Wyndham Clark.”
If Lowry is not one of the category A players arriving at Augusta National, he is certainly a dark horse or a form horse having racked up four top-25 finishes in his last four visits to the Masters including third in 2022 which he was disappointed with.
“Nobody remembers who finishes third in the Masters, in twenty years finishing third doesn’t get you back through the gates, first does so that’s the main goal,” said Lowry who is quietly confident about his form pre-tournament.
“Even just coming here can be like a semi-intimidating place to come and play,” he said ahead of his ninth appearance. “It is different to every tournament you play, so it took me a few years.
“I feel like I have got the grasp of it now. Will I play well this year? Who knows. But I certainly feel like my game is in decent shape and I feel I can go out there and play well this week.
“I’m playing nicely and very happy with where my game is at. But that doesn’t give me a god given right to go out and compete and play well this week so I just have to do everything right and go and give it everything on Thursday. My results have been nice of late and I’ll go out there and give it everything Thursday to Sunday and see what happens.”
Lowry has won six times throughout his professional career, which is not enough for a player of his ability but he has compensated this by whenever he wins, he wins big. Counting the 2019 Open Championship in Royal Portrush the 2015 WGC Bridgestone and the 2022 BMW PGA Championship among his biggest.
He relishes the big stage but knows he will need a slice of luck to upstage the favourites.
“There are certain times out there during the week where you may be a yard away from making a birdie and you make double or could make double,” he said. “It’s such fine margins, you need a bit of fortune on a week like this to play well.
“It’s hard to explain to anybody sitting at home because you don’t see the undulations, and you don’t see the change of the slopes on the greens.
“Playing 13 today, I hit a shot that was less than a yard away from having 15 feet for eagle, and instead, I’m in the water. I know that can happen any week but this week more so.”
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