Lowry is among just a handful who have previously competed on the acclaimed Pat Ruddy designed Glashedy course in Co. Donegal.
Of course, Ballyliffin is no stranger to hosting some of the game’s best having staged the 2002 North West of Ireland and a joint European Tour and Challenge Tour event.
In 2008 the course laid out on the Inishowen Peninsula hosted the Irish Seniors Open.
Lowry, as a then amateur, stole his march on this week’s rivals competing in a provincial tournament in 2006 and in driving up from Dublin on Monday morning he was clearly delighted to return.
The brilliant winner of the 2009 Irish Open got his first look at Balllyliffin in a dozen years playing a nine-hole practice round yesterday (TUES) morning.
Shane Lowry out practicing at Ballyliffin ahead of the 2018 Irish Open (Photo – @europeantour)
“Just when you come around the corner and towards near North West Golf Club, the view is spectacular,” he said.
“I played nine holes this morning (TUES) and it’s fantastic out there.
“We’re obviously blessed with the weather and whatever you’ve done to get the weather so good, it’s just been great. So, I’m obviously looking forward to the week and the golf course is going to be good and looking forward to seeing what the scores are going to be like.
“I was last here in 2006 and that’s the only time I’ve been here. I was saying coming in, I don’t remember anything. I don’t know why, but I can’t remember much about it.
“Sometimes you go back and play a course you’ve played before and it starts to come back in your head but it didn’t.
“But in saying that the golf course, it’s there in front of you and it’s good and it’s going to be tough, and the greens, you know, the fairways are firm and the greens are firm and quick, and it’s going to be a good test.”
When Sweden’s Adam Mednick, and wearing a distinctive Sam Snead type of hat, won the 2002 North West of Ireland he did so by five shots and a seven-under par tally.
And given what Lowry’s seen already it could be very much a similar score that wins come late Sunday afternoon.
If so, it could be the lowest 72-hole winning tally since 2015 when Dane Soren Kjeldsen won in a play-off at Royal County Down, and after ending regulation play at two-under.
In contrast, Spaniard Jon Rahm ran away with last year’s title by six strokes and in posting a 24-under par tally at Portstewart.
“Taking the weather today (TUES), if there’s a bit of wind out there — but not that much, and it’s still not easy,” said Lowry.
“The fairways are narrow and if you miss a fairway it’s going to be hard to control your second shot. It’s going to be difficult to get the ball close to the hole and it’s going to be difficult to make birdies.
“There’s a lot of run-offs into deep bunkers that are going to be quite penal at times and if you short-side yourself, it’s going to be difficult.
“So, I can see a similar — personally I can see it’s been quite similar to 2002.
“I can’t tell, but I’d say like 10-under would be a good score obviously. You’d probably take that and sit on it for the week and see what happens, but who knows, it could be 17-under, it could be 5 under, I don’t know.
“We’ll just have to see what happens.”
