Padraig Harrington is warming at the thought of Shane Lowry next year joining the PGA Tour full-time only if for an added traveling and dinner companion.
Lowry indicated he will adopt the ‘Harrington model’ in tackling the PGA Tour and that will be not to base himself in the States but rather play a few events at a time and fly back-and-forward from Dublin.
“I’m not going to base myself over here as I like being at home in Ireland too much, so I will be staying local to Europe in that sense,” said Lowry.
While Harrington’s been competing full-time in the U.S. since the mid-90s, Lowry is expected to make his debut on January 7th, 2016 in the New Year opening Tournament of Champions, a winners-only event at Kapalua in Hawaii.
Shane Lowry watched by Padraig Harrington playing a practice round Tuesday at Whistling Straits. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
Both Lowry, as WGC – Bridgestone Invitational winner, and Harrington have qualified after Harrington won a second Honda Classic title in March.
And it will be the first time the Irish pair, as PGA Tour badge holders, will get to spend the week together both on and off the golf course.
“I think that’s going to be a great move for me socially that Shane is coming over here to the States as it’s normally just Ronan (caddy) and myself,” said Harrington.
“It means I will have somebody to practice with and to live Irish things when you’re over here, you know, like talking football or whether it’s Gaelic or hurling or soccer, which you miss. So it’s big for me.
“Shane has dipped his toe in the water but the hardest thing for any European coming across here is the different culture, as I know Shane loves home more than anybody else.
“That will be the hardest thing for him, playing over here for four weeks in a row and what’s he doing in the second week when he misses the cut, he can’t fly home to see his friends back in Ireland and come back late on the Tuesday evening.
Shane Lowry watches Padraig Harrington playing out of a bunker during a Tuesday practice round at Whistling Straits. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“What’s he going to do late in the year when he’s tired and he’s fed up with having played 25 events and he’s missed the cut.
“That would be straight home and he’s back to see the family and that.
“So acclimatising to the PGA Tour, that’s going to be his hardest thing and the getting used to life over here.
“I know he’s played a number of events but one of the great things Shane has at home is he can finish up a tournament on a Sunday evening and go home and not travel out until Tuesday evening. That’s two full days and sometimes not travel until Wednesday morning.”
Harrington had spent Sunday night in a nearby Sheboygan township hotel celebrating with Lowry before heading to the course and then spending 90-minutes under the watchful eye of ‘mind man’ Bob Rotella.
And the triple Major winner, and 2008 PGA champion, revealed had this week not been a major he would have withdrawn given the concern for his injured right knee.
“If this wasn’t a Major I would not be here,” he said.
“It’s the same knee I injured a few years ago at Wentworth, so we are going to have to go back and check the MRI, and maybe around Christmas I might have to undergo a keyhole operation.”
MEANTIME
European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke expects Lowry to be contending for selection the 2016 showdown at Oakland Hills.
The qualifying process begins next month at the Russian Open and with Clarke expecting Lowry, as the new WGC – Bridgestone Invitational winner to benefit enormously from his Ohio triumph.
“To win a WGC event, which is one level under a Major, is a huge accomplishment,” said Clarke.
“He’s very comfortable playing here in America and a breakthrough win for him last week is very important for him at this stage of his career.
“He’s going to gain a massive amount of confidence from it and go forward, so I fully expect him to be contending for a Ryder Cup spot next year.”
