Lowry: “I’m Driven To Win More” As He Seeks To End Long PGA Tour ‘Individual’ Victory Drought

1 week ago by 0

It’s nearly six years since this journalist walked the final 18 holes of the 2019 Open Championship in the company of Shane Lowry’s proud father at Royal Portrush.

Brendan Lowry is an Irish sporting legend in his own right but on this day he admitted to me he was a little shy to been seen inside the ropes following his son to victory in golf’s oldest major.

I was working with the R & As media team and having met Brendan on a number of occasions, I encouraged him to forget any resevations and walk with the media where he would be comfortble and not have to fight to get a clear view of the action, and how proud was Brendan of his only son as he strolled to a comfortable six shot success on home Emerald Isle soil.

Lowry’s victory not only meant exemption on the DP World Tour but also the PGA Tour, and providing Lowry a fifth of now six DP World Tour wins and a second of still two ‘individual’ PGA Tour counting victories.

Of course, Lowry teamed last year with good friend Rory McIlroy to capture the Zurich Classic of New Orelans however the now 38-year-old Lowry is yet to capture a third PGA Tour success since that ‘brought the Irish nation to a halt’ Sunday afternoon in July 2019.

He was joint second in the 2016 US Open and shared third in the 2022 Masters while his best finishes in a regular PGA Tour event was second earlier this year at the AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am behind McIlroy while Lowry was runner-up in the 2022 Honda Classic and T2nd in the  2019 RBC Canadian Open.

Now he’s lying second with two rounds to play in the Truist Championship in PA after posting rounds of 64 and 65 for an 11-under tally and just a shot behind American Keith Mitchell who continues to lead the $20m tournament in suburban Philadelphia.

Fortunate for Lowry on day two, he managed to avoid the worst of the heavy rain that drenced the host course while his spirits remain high heading to the final two rounds.

He was asked after his round about Rory McIlroy and how Rors goes about rebuilding his game after his Grand Slam Masters victory and compared to how Lowry has dealt with ‘rebuilding his competitive fire’ following his Open Championship nearly six long years ago.

“I found it hard in 2019 when I won The Open to kind of come back out and — you almost want it too much sometimes to almost forget about that and move on”, said Lowry.

“I think there’s a part of you that should enjoy what you’ve just done and allow yourself just kind of — I suppose not try too hard to backup what you’ve done. Look, I’m sure Rory’s won enough times, enough big tournaments to reset his goals and move on. So I don’t know why I’m answering that question.

“Look, you try to put it behind you, but it’s such a big win, it’s something that is there to be kind of, I guess for the next while when the tough — you know, when you have tough days, it kind of is there in the back of your head that you’ve achieved something great.

“Look, I keep saying to him, no matter what he does now, it doesn’t matter, but obviously he’s a very driven individual. I’m sure he doesn’t think like that. I’m sure he’s very driven to win more.”

Well said, Shane.



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