There’s Rory McIlroy consistency, there’s Scottie Scheffler consistency, then there is Shane Lowry consistency.
It’s just over a year since the Clara man fell outside of the world’s top-50 before a third placed finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational propelled him into the top-40 again and he has carried on that form.
Since the 2023 Irish Open, Lowry has missed just three cuts and has ten top-10 finishes, three of which have come this year and eleven top-20 finishes. All of which have seen him rise to a career high 12th in the world.
To satisfy all the LIV Golf loyals out there, all seven of you, every Official World Golf Ranking update should come with a health warning, but in Lowry’s case his ranking is completely justified based on his form over the last twelve months.
Lowry will believe it himself that he needs to win more, given his level of consistency, he should be a player who wins at least once a year whether that be on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.
Dubbed as a player who has a habit of winning big tournaments, despite his paltry amount of victories, that is usually the make up of a player who is streaky.
But Lowry isn’t streaky. In fact, he is one of the most consistent players in the world and his world ranking of 12 is earned and with that he is expected to improve on that and become the fifth Irishman to crack the top-10 in the world.
Seven professional wins isn’t near enough for a player of his form and talent and it shows that sometimes consistency can be seen as a frustration and a nuisance rather than motivation. A first individual win since the 2022 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth will come for Lowry, the question is, when?
When the 37-year-old fell outside the top-50 in the world last year, he was concerned that perhaps he had gone past his peak and was approaching his swansong years on tour. That couldn’t be further from the truth as A, he is still young for a golfer and B, he is playing the best golf of his career he just doesn’t have the silverware to show for it.
Rory McIlroy aside from five wins has 14 top 5s, 22 top 25s and 1 missed cut from his last 25 worldwide starts. He has been rightfully overshadowed by what Scottie Scheffler has done, but his last twelve months have been insane. Add in Xander Schauffele to that, Lowry has every right to feel like he has been the best of the rest just without the wins.
It is something that grates on him and has perhaps reared its ugly head during key moments when in contention at Pebble Beach, Bay Hill and at the Valspar last week, the latter being a tournament that Lowry will feel definitely got away from him – especially on the greens.
“If I’m being honest, I’d probably take a little bit less consistency and a win or two,” said Lowry last September during a run of 13th, 8th, five top-13 finishes in a row and 3rd to end his 2024.
Lowry will head to the Masters in fine fettle and will fancy his chances at a place he has grown to love over the years after some early struggles.
The PGA Championship in May is arguably the only major where he won’t be fancied by punters given his public disdain for Quail Hollow, but the US Open at Oakmont Country Club, where he held the 54-hole lead in 2016 offers him a chance of redemption before he returns to a heroes welcome in July at Royal Portrush to defend his Open Championship crown where he will surely be amongst the favourites for the Claret Jug.
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