By Bernie McGuire at Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.
Shane Lowry revealed he consulted fellow Irishman and Committee Chairman Rory McIlroy ahead of agreeing to join the 16-man PGA Tour Players Advisory Committee (PAC).
Lowry is among five non-Americans in the 16 announced by the Tour that will take-up seats on the Committee that customarily meet four times a year. The other four being Australia’s Adam Scott, Swede Henrik Norlander and the Canadian duo of Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners.
Lowry will undoubtedly be a great asset to the committee, sounding his passion for the game in commenting on matters that have shaken men’s professional golf to the core.
It was Andy Pazder, Executive Vice-President and Chief of Operations at the Tour, who first approached Lowry and with McIlroy also speaking with Lowry ahead of the Offaly golfer agreeing to the role.
“Rory texted me about the position and said to me that if it’s something you may want to be involved in, and if you do feel you can benefit the committee, then you should join,” said Lowry.
“We then had a chat and he said if you felt that if it affected your golf and maybe takes-up too much time, then it’s probably not a good move.
“So, I spoke to my team Brian (Moran) and Connor (Ridge) and they were supportive which was also nice.
“It’s going to be great getting more involved with the workings of the Tour.”
An important aspect of Lowry now joining the PAC is that at a general committee level, he’s the only new member among the 16 appointed that plays regularly on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.
This move is going to be increasingly important with the leading 10 players at the end of the 2023 DP World Tour season will earn full membership on the PGA from 2024.
And it’s something that Lowry very much recognises.
“I think that’s the exact reason why Andy approached me, especially as I do play both tours regularly, and proudly holding membership of both tours,” said Lowry.
Lowry indicated the first meeting of the new PAC committee will meet ‘in the next couple of weeks’
He was speaking ahead of this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship being played for a second year running at the Yas Links course, situated just across the road of the Abu Dhabi F1 GP racing circuit.
The Irishman is a former winner of the HSBC sponsored event, winning at the close-by Abu Dhabi GC in 2019, and a harbinger to the fantastic scenes six months later at Royal Portrush.
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