Double European Tour winning Shane Lowry has likened this week’s Irish Open as a fifth Major for the big contingent of Irish competing this week at Fota Island in Cork.

Lowry and fellow former Irish Open winner Padraig Harrington are among 27 Irish contesting the event and a dozen years after the event was last staged in sports-mad Munster.

And while Irish expectations will be sky high, for Lowry and Harrington there is also not the pressure of trying to win the event for a first time.

“For all the Irish guys it is like the fifth Major,” said Lowry.

Shane Lowry says the Irish Open is like a fifth Major for the Ireland-born players. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

“That’s the way everyone feels and it would be probably the next best thing to winning a Major.”

When Lowry won at Baltray he forfeited a Euro 1/2m prize cheque given his amateur status, and while the winner’s cheque is down this year to Euro 333,330, the Carlton House attached golfer is eager to create history winning his national open as a pro.

“I really feel like my game is where I want it to be at the minute, and I am really excited about the next four days,” he said.

“But then if I did win I don’t know if I can describe what it would mean to win the Irish Open as a pro.

“It would be just fantastic.  It would be everything, really.”

History is already on Lowry’s side as he will tee-up this week for a first time sporting Bank of Ireland sponsorship now on all his shirts.

Seven years ago Harrington had the same sponsorship logo on his shirt in winning the Irish Open at Adare Manor and then went on to win three Majors with Bank of Ireland backing.

“I was only talking about that fact on Monday, so if could hopefully can take one Major in the next few years it would do me,” said Lowry.

“And while the Bank of Ireland sponsored Padraig in those years when he won his Majors, hopefully I will wear the logo with pride like he did and maybe get a few tournament wins.

“But it a great brand to be associated with, and a brand that has Ireland in the name, as well. So it’s exciting for me.”

And while Lowry focuses on a hopeful historic first, Harrington’s come back to Fota Island finding the distraction already of knowing far too many people both inside and outside the ropes.

“I finished my practice round there on 18 today and was coming over here to the Media Centre, and I had one, two, three, four, five, I had six, seven personal stops on the way where I had to stop, and it wasn’t just a hello,” he said.

“I had to stop and address the person because I haven’t seen them in a while and things like that.

“That just doesn’t happen in the U.S. as you’re just walking on and there’s just not the people where I would have to stop and say hello.

“And that is one of the reasons why I went and played on the PGA Tour, to familiarise myself going  into the Majors, so you wouldn’t be meeting always acquaintances and just getting caught up on things.

“So when I go to a Major in the States, the week after a U.S. event, it’s just another week in terms of preparation.”