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THE 3 IRISH OPENMay 17, 2009Shane LowryBALTRAY, IRELAND MICHAEL GIBBONS: Tell us how you're feeling right now after today. SHANE LOWRY: I don't know, I can't -- I can't describe what I'm feeling at this minute. You know, just shocked more than anything else. You know, I came into this week got an invite to play my first Tour event. Would have been happy enough to make the cut and went out, and shot 62, on Friday and after that, I thought, right, this is my week, I can win. You know, I still it can't believe it. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Take us through today, if you can, and the playoff. SHANE LOWRY: Well, I played decent all day. I kept on leaving myself 30-, 40-footers and try to 2-putt from there. Then when I come down to the putt on 18, I didn't think I was going to get a chance. And in the playoff, the eagle putt on the second playoff hole, I couldn't believe I missed. I couldn't believe it stayed up on the high side. You know, couldn't believe it, then winning your first you're European Tour event, you can't beat it. Q. There are obviously life-changing moments we don't appreciate at the time, and this is probably difficult now to put into words, but what are your intentions now, because you know that there is an invite into the BMW PGA next week at Wentworth if you turn pro, and how strong do you want to play in the Walker Cup? And do you see that your whole life has changed, basically? SHANE LOWRY: No, I'm going to have to think about that until the morning. I'm sure I'll have a phone call with Colin Dalgleish first thing in the morning, and I'd like to speak with some other people and see what they think. You know, you never know. Q. You told us on Friday, you just repeated it now, that you really believed you could win after shooting the 62 on Friday, but deep down, did you really believe it? SHANE LOWRY: I did, but then when -- especially when I went two behind today, I was like, here we go, these guys are going to -- really in my own mind, I thought 20-under was the number. It was tough out there. It was windy, and then towards the end it started to rain. And I holed a good putt on 14 to get back into it and I said to myself, let's go do it, and unfortunately it just missed. But I holed a good one on 16, as well, to go one ahead. And then Robert holed a great putt on 17 to get back all-square. I just couldn't believe I missed that putt on the 18th, and then I was just fortunate enough to be still in it and go out and win in the playoff. Q. You weren't the only hero, I thought your caddie was fantastic. SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, he was very good. He's been caddying for me about the last two years, maybe coming up to three years now -- no, two years. He was obviously nervous, as well. You know, he's so calm and slow and whatever in whatever he does, and it seems to work. You know, he calmed me down a good bit and just said the right things at the right time and it was great. Q. Talk us through that putt in normal time, what line did you see and what was your intention? SHANE LOWRY: I just pulled it. Obviously the nerves got to me and I'm not going to say anything else, because I was shaking over that putt. You know, I seen it right, right-half, and just pulled it and that's all that happened. Q. When you came through the crowd there and you waved to the crowd, what were your feelings then? Did you think you had it? SHANE LOWRY: No. I was just acknowledging the crowd because they were unbelievable all day. Like every tee box, every green I went on to, they were roaring and it was great. Q. As I say, Robert made a putt on the second extra hole, nine or ten feet; did you think he was going to make that putt? SHANE LOWRY: Actually I thought when he hit it that he pulled it. I thought that he pulled it. No, it was a great putt under the pressure. I felt like -- I said to myself, I said that to my caddie that I thought I was going to have to make eagle anyway to win, and thought he was going to make four out of the bunker and he did. Q. Can you just describe how you were feeling with that 3-wood on the approach for the eagle putt? SHANE LOWRY: It was perfect, like 240 to the front of the green, 270 to the pin. I just hit a hard 3-wood and slight off to the left-hand side of the left bunker and the wind just blank it in and kind of drifted a bit too much but caught the pitch perfect and rolled around to maybe eight feet. I actually thought it was at the front of the green when I hit it because the crowd came across and I couldn't see where it finished. Q. Just going back to your pitch-and-putt days as you were talking a bit the other day, did you ever dream that this is possible? Where was it that you first started to pay play pitch-and-putt? SHANE LOWRY: In my hometown. This is just -- it's going to take a long time to sink in. I just can't believe it happened, I can't believe it. Q. When you say you're going to make the tough decision tomorrow, which way would you be leaning at the moment? I mean, bear in mind, everything that's now open to you. SHANE LOWRY: I know, I'm sure probably Colin Dalgleish is thinking the same thing and I'll discuss it with him first. They have been good to me over the last couple of years. Q. Can you just talk about the Golfing Union of Ireland and how they have treated you? SHANE LOWRY: Oh, unbelievable. You know, I was 17 when I got on my first Irish Amateur and then met Neil Manchip, he's been wonderful over the years; this is for him, as well. It's been great and the Golfing Union, they have looked after me so well. Since I started playing amateur full-time golf, I went everywhere with them, all of the tournaments and they have been great, a great help to me. Q. You said you were not particularly nervous all week but this morning, how did you wake up or how did you sleep last night? SHANE LOWRY: Very nervous this morning. I slept very well last night but I was awake at 8.00 this morning, car was coming at half nine, came to the golf course and then met Neil and had a good chat with him in the players' lounge and we had a cup of tea and a bit of breakfast and it was good. When I got on to the first tee, I wasn't that nervous on the first tee. I just tried to hit it too hard down there and that's why I hit it left. But I started with -- that's what got me going on the first, I missed the green left and hit a good pitch to maybe five feet and a good putt. It's a good putt to start your round with, you know, gets the confidence level high. Q. All through your life, your dad, Brendan, All-Ireland medal has been the feature of the house and the sporting ambition; do you feel you've emulated that now, and what does that mean to you? SHANE LOWRY: You know, this is -- (laughter) -- I don't know, this is just -- I don't know, for me -- (inaudible). Q. Rory McIlroy was there to greet you on the 18th green. Can you just talk about that and seeing him and talk about Rory and possibly playing with him in the future on The European Tour? SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, you know, Rory, I've known Rory for a few years now. And when I've seen him coming off the 18th green, I knew I was going to be finished -- I actually thought about whether he will be -- would he stay around. I actually thought about that for some reason, I don't know. And when I seen him off the 18th, it was great to see him there and supporting me. Rory has just been unbelievable over the last couple of years. To achieve what he's achieved is unbelievable. Hopefully I probably will be seeing more of him in the future. Q. Rory says, why wouldn't you turn pro now, unless you really want to play the Walker Cup. It's the kind of thing Darren Clarke was saying to him for ages: If you're travelling the world playing golf, why not get paid for it. What's your view of it now? SHANE LOWRY: As an amateur, it's not so easy getting on The European Tour as an amateur. So if you play Walker Cup, it looks good on your C.V. when you turn pro. So that's why a lot of people try and play Walker Cup, and it's a great event. Great excitement and great hype. I don't know, I'll have to see tomorrow. Q. Have any management companies been talking to you this weekend? SHANE LOWRY: I've been talking to a few but I'm not going to say who. Q. What were the key shots, would you think today, that won you the championship? I'm thinking of No. 16 where you had kind of a muddy lie on the left rough that was a fantastic shot. SHANE LOWRY: I thought the putt on 14, because I had not holed anything all day, and I said to Neil coming off the 13th green, I said, I'm going to have to hole some putts and when I holed that, that got my confidence up. I went ahead and birdied 16, as well. It was a perfect yardage, 127 cross-wind, I could just hold it up into the wind and it's a perfect shot for me. Q. You kept your routine superbly on Thursday, and Robert is a bit meticulous out on the course. How difficult was it to stay as focused as you managed to do it? SHANE LOWRY: It was quite difficult because the play was quite slow out there today. But I just try not to think about it, just get on with it and if they are slow, they are slow and if they are not, they are not, just get often with it. Q. This must give you a flavour for professional life; will you think about it, like your playing partner, wasn't all that much pressure on him given he's a half-million Euros -- SHANE LOWRY: I said it that to my caddie: Would he ever just miss? (Laughter). Q. Just on that point, do you think, 'what if,' like if you had that in your back pocket? SHANE LOWRY: Obviously it would be great but I'm sure I won't have to worry about that. MICHAEL GIBBONS: I'm sure there will be much more of that to come in the future. Congratulations. End of FastScripts |
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