Ireland’s Shane Lowry remains torn between defending his WGC – Bridgestone Invitational crown in Ohio or teeing-up the same week in the 100thFrench Open in Versailles.
Lowry’s decision hinges on his European Ryder Cup standing ahead of the June 30th start to both events.
A row between the PGA Tour and the European Tour has seen the European Tour react to the PGA Tour to stage the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational the same week as the French Open by declaring there will no Ryder Cup points available to any European Tour member teeing-up in Ohio.
The scheduling nightmare has come about with the need to find a place for the Olympic Men’s Competition.
Shane Lowry still torn between defending WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and competing in the French Open. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)
Among those committed to the French Open, and not tee-up in the Bridgestone, is former Invitational winner Rory McIlroy along with Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter.
And given Lowry is presently well down on the European Ryder Cup points table, namely 20th on the European Points List and 21st on the World Points List, one can understand his current predicament.
“I am locked-in to playing either the Bridgestone or teeing-up in the French Open but then I want to go back and defend the Bridgestone, and that’s my first choice but I don’t know what I am going to do,” he said.
“I have until the Friday before to enter either event but if I am say Euro 20,000 outside of being among the automatic eight Ryder Cup qualifiers it is going to be hard not to go and play the French Open.
“That would be probably the only situation I will need to be in, if I were to not be defending the Bridgestone.”
Lowry confirmed he’s under no pressure from the PGA Tour to defend in Ohio nor has anyone from the European Tour asked if he’s playing in the French Open, and incidentally made his first prize cheque as a pro in 2009.
“No, nobody from the PGA Tour has spoken to me and I have not spoken to anyone from the European Tour, nor the sponsors involved,” he said.
“I really want to go and play in the Bridgestone, and who would not want to go back to Akron and want to defend a tournament of such stature.
“I also want to make the Ryder Cup team but if I do go and defend the Bridgestone, I think it might go a long way towards being picked for the Ryder Cup.”
And Lowry says he’s not spoke to European Team Captain, Darren Clarke about his predicament.
“I haven’t spoken to him about it,” said Lowry.
“So, he’s not putting any pressure on me but then he can have me on his team if he wants me (smiling).”
