Dubai, UAE …
Shane Lowry was winging his way to this week’s World Cup of Golf in Australia chasing a putting game that already headed south after a disappointing DP World Championship.
Lowry along with Irish team-mate Paul Dunne were not leaving Dubai until 3am Monday morning local time and staring at a near 14-hour flight to Melbourne and arriving at 11.30pm Monday night local AustralianMelbourne time.
Lowry already looked exhausted after posting a final round 73 for an overall four-under par tally in the final ‘regular’ event on the 2019 European Tour schedule.
Shane Lowry looking exhausted after the final round of the DP World Tour Championship (Photo @tourmiss)
The effort, and a year after posting a Dubai closing day of 63 to brilliantly share second place, handed Lowry an eventual 44th place on the Race to Dubai standings.
It is Lowry’s poorest money list standing since his maiden full season in 2010 and robs the Clara golfer, by not being among the leading 30, of an automatic tee-time into next year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Hurting Lowry was averaging 31.8 putts per the four Dubai rounds and to end the event lying well down in 53rd place in the 59-player field.
Shane Lowry battling with the shortest club in his bag and average 31.8 per round with the putter in Dubai (Photo @tourmiss)
Lowry’s one strong point was he was ranked second in ‘greens in regulation’.
“The last there sum-up my week as I hit two of the finest shots you will ever see and didn’t come close to putting-out for eagle, and that’s where my game has been the whole week,” he said.
“I need to find something in my putting over the next few days and I am going to do anything down there in Australia.
“Paul’s a great putter and my game tee-to-green is going well and if can somehow dove-tail down there we could do alright.
Shane Lowry heading ‘Down Under’ to try and lift the World Cup of Golf
“The one thing we should do going down to Australia, and it’s been a long year for both Paul and I, but then I am certainly not happy with my year and I don’t think Paul is either.
“So, we have a chance this week to salvage something so we each heading to Australia and just enjoy it as much as we can.
“We are playing for our country and try and get the best result possible, and that’s going to be the biggest thing and just enjoy the week in Melbourne. If you get down on yourself and we stay moping around then it just becomes a long week.”
Lowry had set his heart, and as being regularly reported by Irish Golfer Magazine of ending his year inside the top-30 that would earn him a tee time in next year’s historic Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
The Clara golfer will now have to achieve that goal getting himself back inside the top-50 on the World Rankings or earn his way to Portrush via one of the many qualifiers between now and July, 2019.
“It was it is as I would love to be heading to Australia knowing I am into The Open next year as that was my goal since coming back to play in Europe,” he said.
“It’s not the end of the world as I will have plenty of chances in the New Year but I would love to wrap-up a place in all four Majors of 2019.”
