DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN

July 4, 2021

Shane Lowry

Mount Juliet Estate

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you assess the week?

SHANE LOWRY: I was bang on it this morning, trying to shoot as low as I could and play some good golf. That's where I feel my game is at today. Playing good golf, holed a few putts and a nice 66 on a Sunday to finish the week.

Obviously a little disappointing going away not having a better finish but quite a bit of confidence I can take from the round today.

Q. Is the plan to stay in Ireland and play some links golf?

SHANE LOWRY: That's the plan. Like I said, today is Wendy's birthday, so we're going away and relax for a couple nights, and Wednesday I really get back into it and playing some links golf around Dublin. Not sure what courses yet. Look forward to the next couple weeks, going to be exciting, an exciting week at St. George's for me and looking forward to it.

Q. You've had two years getting introduced as The Open Champion on the first fee tee. Never gets old, does it.

SHANE LOWRY: No, it's pretty nice, especially when Alastair is kind of -- obviously Iver before him was the voice of it and Alastair is now, and it's nice hearing it especially in front of your home crowd and getting a nice cheer. It's something that I'll always have and my name will always be on that trophy. Yeah, it's obviously very special.

Q. Very well-played today. That was more like it.

SHANE LOWRY: More like it is right. That's probably why I've been so frustrated over the first few days because I feel like I have that round in me. It was an easy 6-under today. Nothing really special. It was kind of one of those days where probably could have been better. Happy with a little bit of confidence taken my week off before Royal St. George's.

I'm excited and looking forward to playing some links golf in Ireland here next week and looking forward to getting over to St. George's on Monday. The week, it will be nice, obviously I'm there to defend. I'm there to play good golf and I'm there to finish as high up as I can, and you know, obviously everything that goes with defending an Open is going to be there, and it's going to be new for me so I'll have to learn quickly.

I'll be fine I think. I'm used to having that kind of label on my head and it's fine. I'll just go there and be myself and play my own game and hopefully it's good enough to have a chance at the weekend.

Q. Have you talked to our other Open Champion?

SHANE LOWRY: No, I haven't, and it's something that I meant to do. You just reminded me of that. Yeah, I'll give a couple lads maybe a text or something during the week but I'm sure there's nothing. I might sit down and have a cup of tea or coffee with the lads when I'm in St. George's. I'm sure there's no tricks. Just go there and try and treat it like any other week and enjoy it as much as you can, because it's not often you get to defend a major championship.

Yeah, it's exciting.

Q. You saved the best for last with that bogey-free 66. Evaluate for us if you will not just today but the week on the whole.

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, probably a little bit frustrated to be honest because I feel like I had that golf in me the whole week. I just didn't get it going, missed momentum in certain parts of my rounds throughout week but I'm quite happy with that. It was kind of my goal to go out this morning and shoot a good number, hitting some nice shots and being aggressive and making a lot of birdies, and that was kind of everything I wanted to do today, I did, and it's kind of a nice -- it is a nice round to take into my week off now and get ready for The Open, I suppose.

Q. Speaking of The Open, a couple years now with the Claret Jug and now it's upon us, I'm guessing mixed emotions and they must be coming to the surface quite a bit?

SHANE LOWRY: I'm happy it's just happening in two weeks. I feel I've had it a long time. Not that I'm happy to get it out of the way because it's nice being Open Champion and whatever, but I'm happy that it's happening in a couple of weeks and I'm very excited about the week and I'm looking forward to it.