Greensboro, North Carolina …. Shane Lowry confirmed he will turn down the chance of a $US 1.4m first prize cheque if it means competing in next month’s Ryder Cup.
That’s what Lowry will do by electing not to contest next week’s PGA Tour’s Barclays Championship, and the opening event of the FedEx Cup Play-Off Series, and instead tee-up in the European Tour’s Made in Denmark event in Stockholm.
Shane Lowry confirming he will travel to Denmark next week and the hope of a good showing could secure him a ‘wildcard’ place in the European Ryder Cup team. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
The Made in Denmark is the very last qualifying event for the 2016 Ryder Cup and Lowry is desperate to prove to European Team captain, Darren Clarke he’s worthy of a ‘wildcard’ pick.
And Lowry certainly must have caught Clarke’s eye with an impressive five under par 65 to move to five under after two rounds of the Wyndham Championship at Greensboro.
“My decision for entering the Made in Denmark is that it might give Darren (Clarke) something to think about,” said Lowry after his second round.
“That’s my thought process in heading to Denmark and it’s also because the past four weeks over here haven’t really gone to plan.
“I was having a pretty good season over here up to an including the U.S. Open where I felt I had a really strong chance to win.
“But when it comes to the Ryder Cup form is everything and if I can have a good week here in Greensboro and a good week next week in Denmark then you never know.
“I hope it will also show to Darren that by turning down the Barclays next week for Denmark how much I want to make the team and what playing in a European Ryder Cup team means to me.
“And if I did get a wildcard pick, I am fairly confident I could go to Hazeltine and do the business.”
Against Lowry getting a pick is the fact Clarke already has five rookies in his team – Danny Willett, Chris Wood, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Most observers believe when Clarke announces his three ‘wildcard’ picks on August 30th he will certainly select Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer and it being a toss-up who will get the third.
Lowry kick-started his Greensboro second round holing a 67-foot chip-in for the first of six birdies, including three in succession from the third hole.
“I was talking to a buddy of mine up in New York and I called him this morning to say that I felt like I could break 65 so I was close, and it’s nice feeling,” he said.
“I haven’t been shooting good scores of late and not having played the weekend for the past few weeks it’s nice to again have some weekend work.”
Lowry ended his round moments before 21-year old Korean Si Woo Kim stormed to the top of the board with a nine under par 60 for a new Sedgefield course record and a 12-under par tally.
