What would you present to one of Ireland’s most respected golf writers after he gave up his Saturday relaxing around the pool in Florida’s Sunshine State to walk 18 holes with Shane Lowry on day three of the WGC – Cadillac Championship?

What else but the golf ball moments earlier Lowry had seen disappear into the cup at the 18th green for a superb round of 70.

Phil Reid proudly holding the golf ball used by fellow Irishman Shane Lowry.

That’s the reward for Philip Reid, highly-respected golf correspondent for the Irish Times and Secretary of the Irish Golf Writers Association.

But then the golf ball now in Phil’s possession did enjoy an adventurous journey down the last at Trump National Doral.

In fact, Lowry’s tee shot at the last was blown right in a squall that hit the Gil Hanse redesigned course at the time and with the Dubliner’s prize Srxion first pitching in the rough before bouncing off the top of a TV camera, and narrowly missing the cameraman’s head, before coming to rest behind a tree and leaving him no shot to the green.

Indeed, Karl MacGinty, golf correspondent with the Irish Independent was right on the spot at the time and for a second contemplated drop-kicking Lowry’s ball back onto the fairway.

However as Lowry headed to the scorer’s hut he presented Phil with the golf ball and remarking a few moments later: “I don’t know if I have a chance to win, but you never know.

“If I can get off to the start i had today I will be up there tomorrow. I am happy with way I

“I am playing, feel like I am going to hole every putt I look at. I feel like I am going to hit my driver in the middle of every fairway, my iron play felt good.

“The only concern was a couple of sloppy mistakes but that’s going to happen.

“I love the challenge of tough golf courses. I much prefer that than 20 under, or having to go out and shoot seven under I think golf is great when it is tough sometimes. You couldn’t play 25 tournaments a year like this.

“This course is up there with the likes of Wentworth and the Majors but then I enjoy golf like this which is not a bad thing.”

And when Lowry was quizzed if thought he could still win the $US 9.25m event, he said: “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could win. It’s the next best thing to winning a major.”

A top-10 finish would secure Lowry a start in next week’s £US 5.9m Valspar Championship however Lorwy is intent on returning home to Ireland.

“I am going home for a week and then back for Bay Hill and the following week’s Texas Open and week off before the Masters,” he said.

“And I’m not going up to Augusta until Sunday.”