Shane Lowry feels that his near-miss at the 2016 US Open at Oakmont was the catalyst that drove him to victory at the 2019 Open Championship at Portrush.
The Offaly man held a four-stroke lead after 54 holes the last time the USGA’s showpiece event was staged at the iconic Pittsburg venue, but a slightly disappointing final round, coupled with an incredible performance by Dustin Johnson, forced Lowry to have to settle for a share of second place.
It was his best major championship performance by a distance, and even though he came up short in the end, it was proof that he had what it took to compete on one of the game’s toughest golf courses.
“Obviously, I haven’t been back here since 2016,” he said in an interview with the Golf Channel. “I remember I walked in towards the clubhouse the last time I was here, which wasn’t a very good experience. But look, obviously, some fond memories. I played some great golf here the last time.
“And when I look back, it was probably just a lack of experience [that] kind of cost me in the end. But then, you know, when you look at what I’ve gone on to achieve in the last nine years since that you know, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“You know, I learned a lot about myself that week here, and I think it kind of has me where I am.”
Just over three years later, he found himself in an almost identical position as he held a four-stroke 54-hole lead on the Causeway Coast, and he was able to draw on the experience and the lessons learned at Oakmont to go on to complete the achievement of a lifetime.
“Yeah, like, it was huge,” he replied when asked about how it helped him at Portrush. “And, like, who knows if I would’ve achieved what I did in Portrush in 2019 without my experience here in 2016. And I wouldn’t change to what I did in Portrush for the world, like, that was, you know, that’s going to be the greatest moment of my career, you know, no matter what I do for the next how many number of years.”
Though Lowry is not the longest off the tee, he ranks second to Scottie Scheffler in Strokes Gained: Approach and leads the PGA Tour in Proximity to the Hole, which is always a good combination on greens ranked among the toughest that the players are likely to face all year.
And it’s a golf course that continues to suit his eye nicely, even after the heavy restoration work that it’s undergone in the nine years since it last welcomed the elite players in the men’s game.
“Yeah, I like coming back here,” he added. “I see my way around this golf course even now, like, you know, I haven’t been here in a long time, but I quite like it.
“Like, I love coming on the property here. And it’s just a pretty nice place. I’m pretty happy.”
Lowry will play alongside good friend Rory McIlroy and fellow European Ryder Cup player Justin Rose for the opening two rounds, and he also played a practice round with McIlroy on Tuesday in preparation for the tournament, so he’ll be in comfortable surroundings on both the golf course and within his particular grouping.
Winning in Portrush went a long way to healing the scars he took away from Oakmont in 2016, but winning the US Open in 2025 would complete the job and even more.
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