Shane Lowry Insists He Won’t Hear Of Ryder Cup Until He Qualifies For European Team.

Shane Lowry insists he will have nothing to do with next week’s Ryder Cup until the day he becomes a member of the European Team.

Lowry posted a three under par 68 to be trailing three strokes behind Dutchman Joost Luiten, who birdied seven of his last 10 holes in a six under par 65 on the Twenty-Ten course and host for the 2010 Ryder Cup.

‘Belgium Bomber’ Nicolas Colsaerts set a new European Tour ‘Longest Drive’ of 447-yards at the 18th to be in second place and tied with Scot Andrew McArthur on five under par

Shane Lowry insists he will hear nothing about the Ryder Cup until he qualifies for the European Team.  (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Shane Lowry, who now boasts the best beard on the European Tour, insists he will hear nothing about the Ryder Cup until he qualifies for the European Team. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Lowry could have easily accepted a Gleneagles commentating role but intends spending the week at home glued to the ‘box’ as Paul McGinley’s men strive to retain the gleaming Ryder Cup trophy.

“The first Ryder Cup I will attend will be the year I am representing Europe so until then I will be at home watching it on TV,” said I was saying to Paul (McGinley) last night that the Americans are going to be very underestimated next week.

“And that is not by any of the European players but by the public, so it’s up to Paul to get all the lads in the right frame of mind but then I have no doubt he’ll be right on top of that next week.

“By this time next week Paul will have his players jumping through hoops and if it was a football team they will be running right through the dressing room door.”

Lowry arrived in Wales lying well up in 17th place on the Race to Dubai money list and 63rd on the World Rankings, and with six events remaining this year to break inside the top-50 on the rankings and secure that long-awaited maiden Masters invitation.

“Of course, another Tour victory is always first and foremost in my mind but I would love to receive that letter in the mail with the postmark ‘Augusta, Georgia’, so that’s the plan this year,” he said.

“Getting into the top-50 has been hanging over my head for a long time now, for a couple of years now, and I feel if I can keep on doing what I am doing it should happen.”

Biggest disappointment on the day was the effort of Ryder Cup rookie Stephen Gallacher who failed to manage a birdie in a seven over par 78.

“I haven’t played in three weeks so there’s a fair bit of rust in my game but then I am thinking more about next week than this week,” he said.

Lee Westwood, who hasn’t played in a month, also struggled to shoot a two over par 73.

 



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