Offaly man believes the best is yet to come: ‘If you don’t believe that, you’re on the way out’
Shane Lowry might turn 40 next year, but he firmly believes his best golf lies ahead of him after he destroyed the field and romped to an 11-shot Amgen Irish Open win.
The Offaly man closed with a seven-under 63 to win on 23-under par and end a four-year victory drought that catapults him back into the world’s top 50 and right to the top of the European Ryder Cup standings,
He admitted he had to “fight a few demons off on the course” after he followed tough losses in the Dubai Invitational and the Cognizant Classic with a disastrous closing 80 in the Masters.
But after mentally resetting with his team in Florida last month, he felt ready to finish the season on a high.
“Dubai was difficult,” he said. “Cognizant was pretty hard. But I would go back to the Sunday of the Masters was especially difficult for me this year, and I feel like after that, a lot of wind went out of my sails. ”
After gathering his team in Florida, he arrived in Doonbeg refreshed and determined to win.
“I feel like I went out to win this week,” he said. “I went out and went after it. I went after it differently than what I’ve done before, and it worked.
“I said to myself, ‘I’m going to go out and I’m going to go after it this week. I’m going to go after this golf course, and I’m going to go after this tournament’, and I did that. It’s worked out unbelievably well.
“I felt mentally I was in an amazing place this week, as well. I felt like I played somewhat carefree golf, where I wasn’t worried about making mistakes. I wasn’t worried about the outcome of anything.”
He admitted that turning 40 has been in the back of his mind, but his ambition knows no bounds.
“Driving in here Thursday morning for my 18th Irish Open, you’re thinking ’, I’ve been around a long time’, but in a performance like that, you know, I’ve still got a lot of good golf in me, and I’ve still got a lot to give,” he said, believing the best is yet to come.
“This year has been hard, but you know, you have to go through the tough times. I’ve kept saying for the last few weeks, this is just a minor speed bump in the career. It’s nothing really.
“I think you have to believe that [my best is ahead]. I think if you don’t believe that, you’re on the way out.”
After his disappointments this year, he was determined to keep putting his neck on the line.
“Put yourself in tough positions and try and fight through it,” he said.
“Today was a big day for me. You know, if I didn’t win today, I don’t even want to think about what I would have been like for the next while. It would have been hard.”
His win reminded him of winning The Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, when he had a four-shot lead heading into the final round of a Major for the second time and banished the demons of the 2016 US Open loss to Dustin Johnson.
“I said to myself today, ‘I have to go out and win this’. I have no other choice. Honestly, there are a lot of similarities to 2019.
“And I went out there and grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, and I did that, so that was pretty good.”
His magical Sunday and brilliant putting performance (courtesy of a new putter specification) owed much to his mini camp with manager Brian Moran, coach Neil Manchip and strength and conditioning coach Robbie Cannon after he failed to progress in the PGA Tour play-offs after the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis, when he felt his heart wasn’t in it.
But he also felt his decision to reluctantly part with caddie Darren Reynolds after the US Open and reunite with Dermot Byrne was just what he needed.
“All my caddies have been great; great people to be around, and they have been great servants to me,” he said. “Dermot did pretty much the first 10 years of my career with me.
“It was amazing to win The Open at Portrush with Bo [Martin], and I always remember that wasn’t long after we finished, and I always remember feeling bad for Dermo about that he didn’t get to do that.
“I said to him, walking up 18, I couldn’t be happier walking up the 18th fairway today with anyone other than him.
“Darren has been great the last few years. We had some great times. Bethpage last year was incredible. He’s a great caddie and a great person, too. I’m going to get to catch up with him at Wentworth, as well. He lives near there. So that will be good.
“But it’s unbelievable to have Dermo back. He’s been so positive and such a breath of fresh air for me when I needed it most.
“That was unreal. It was great to have him out there today.”