AMGEN IRISH OPEN

September 12, 2024

Shane Lowry

Royal County Down GC

Quick Quotes

Q. How was that for you?

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, it was -- yeah, like start, it was pretty bad, starting 5, 5, 5, was in the ideal. Then where I hit it on the fourth obviously wasn't ideal either. That up-and-down was like it kind of gave me a bit of a kick start that I needed and a bit of a pep in my step.

I felt like from there I was pretty good, other than the 12th hole which, you know, I was a little bit unfortunate as well on 12 with my tee shot, even my second shot. But you've got to take it on the chin and move on. Nice to birdie the last. That will make dinner taste a little nicer.

You look at the scoring out there, there's nobody shooting really low the, like 3-under, the best score. Even in major championship, people always shoot good scores on the first day. So you can tell how hard of a test that is.

Q. Do you go into sort of a major championship mode not just because it's the Irish Open and it means so much of you but because of the challenge out there, almost like a major challenge?

SHANE LOWRY: No, it is. Like pars are good. You know, and that's the thing. I get off to the start I did and you have to tell yourself that if you par the next five, if you start like that, par the next five or six holes, you're kind of back okay. You'll be fine.

You just need to be patient out there and you need to miss it in the right spot. I felt like the first couple of holes I missed them in wrong spots and you get penalized for that. But look, one over is not the end of the world, and we go on and give it a go in the morning.

Q. It was the Irish Open last year which began the run of form which has carried into this year where you have confidence to come back from a bad start like that on a tough challenge. Are you a slightly different golfer in perspective than you were at this time last year?

SHANE LOWRY: Maybe, golf -- a golf career over the amount of time I've been out here is full of up-and-downs and it's a roller coaster. I've been talking about it with team this week how when things are going well, you need to just ride the wave as well as you can and when things aren't great, you just paddle out as hard as you can. That's what I'm trying to do, ride this wave of decent form and at some stage in the next ten, 15 years, however more long I play for, it's going to get hard. You need to take the good stuff when you can.

It's easier when you're having a good year to get off to a start like that and come back from. It just is easier. I did that pretty well today. Maybe I am changing, two knows.

Q. 232 long iron into 18, two putts, birdie finish, nice finish.

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, I hit a great drive down there. This golf course, if you hit good shots, it feels like it's not that hard. I hit a great second shot on to that green and then a nice 2-putt, but you know, you hit an average shot there, you're going to be in trouble. Yeah, I was very happy the way I played last few holes. I played from 13, a nice up-and-down, 14, hit a great shot and then from 15 in, I hit some great shots, I was very happy with how I played the last few holes.

Q. How much did your mindset change after 4?

SHANE LOWRY: It does, but you have no choice but to keep going. Look, you know going out there today, you're probably going to make some bogeys. You're probably going to be behind the black ball a couple of times and you just have to get on with it.

But yeah, the chip shot on 4 was pretty good. It was kind of, you know, it was one much those that it puts you in a good mood nearly after hitting that chip shot. I said to Darren, it's no good if I don't hole the putt. It was nice to do that because it was quite difficult. Yeah, it was pretty good. I think I played pretty good golf today. I think when I sit down and have my dinner tonight and think about, it I'll be pretty happy with how I played.

Q. Jon Rahm in the news today that he's going to appeal and play the events that he needs to. What do you think about that?

SHANE LOWRY: I mean, the Ryder Cup Team with Jon Rahm is always better. Yeah, we can be pretty happy with that, as long as he goes on and makes the team now, be pretty happy.

But look, the thing is with all this, I'm fully confident that Luke and Edoardo and whoever else is involved will pick the best 12 players possible to go to Bethpage. I really hope I'm in those 12 best players. If I'm not, I'll be cheering them on or doing whatever.

But yeah, whether it be Jon Rahm, myself or Rory or anyone or any of the guys that are trying to make the team, I just hope it's the 12 best players and I hope we go and beat them.