In Irish mythology, legend has it that at the end of every rainbow sits a leprechaun with whereabouts of the pot of gold.
For Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell, that pot of gold weighs over 90 pounds and awaits them on Sunday at the famed Melbourne Sandbelt’s Kingston Heath Golf Club for the 58th edition of the World Cup of Golf.
The Irish duo will look to strike gold Down Under for the third time in their nation’s history.
For Ireland, they couldn’t be in better hands if they hope to capture their first title since Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley were crowned champions in Kiawah Island, S.C., (USA) in 1997.
Lowry has quickly become one of Ireland’s top players, arriving on golf’s center stage when he captured the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in 2015.
“I’m looking forward to the team format with foursomes and four-balls.” said Lowry, who will make his second World Cup of Golf appearance after competing in the 2013 edition.
The 29-year-old will be joined by good friend Graeme McDowell, who is looking forward to competing alongside Lowry in the always-exciting team competition.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of the World Cup of Golf. I’m so glad that it’s gone back to the team format,” McDowell said. “I’m really excited to tee it up with Shane Lowry, one of my really good friends and a guy’s game that I’ve always been really impressed with. Shane has always had the three key components to make him a top player, which is driving the ball really well, probably the best short game I’ve ever seen, and when it comes to crunch time, he really has what it takes.”
McDowell is one of four major championship winners in the field this year, who also boasts top-10 career finishes at both The Open Championship and PGA Championship, as well as legendary performances at the Ryder Cup as a member of Team Europe.
While Lowry is surely one of the world’s best up-and-coming players, McDowell‘s playing resume will surely give Team Ireland a leg up on the competition.
“I’ve played in several World Cups, including a handful of Ryder Cups, and foursomes has always been automatic for me,” McDowell said. “Being a pretty accurate driver of the ball and a good putter, I’m definitely a solid partner.”
McDowell will make his fifth World Cup of Golf appearance, with the 37-year-old competing in every staging of the tournament since 2008.
If the Irish weren’t already comfortable heading into the World Cup of Golf between their close relationship and states of their games, they’ll tee it up on a style course in which they love to play.
“Kingston Heath is one of my favorite golf courses – I was there a couple years ago for the Australian Masters,” McDowell said. “When we’re on a golf course like Kingston Heath, it’s suited to the type of golf course I grew up playing on, links-style.”
“I’ve heard it’s the best course in Australia, so if it’s the best course in Australia, it should be pretty good and I’m looking forward to it,” Lowry said. “The courses are good – they play firm, fast and short. The par-3s down there are some of the best in the world.”
This will be more than just two friends playing in any other event on Tour. They’ll be playing for their nation and a chance to call themselves world champions.
“It’ll be nice to be able to go down and represent Ireland. Padraig and Paul won it back in ’97, so we’ll go down this year and try to win it for our country,” Lowry said.
This will be more than just two friends playing in any other event on Tour. They’ll be playing for their nation and a chance to call themselves world champions.
“It’ll be nice to be able to go down and represent Ireland. Padraig and Paul won it back in ’97, so we’ll go down this year and try to win it for our country,” Lowry said.
“When you see the field, you have Australia’s Adam Scott and Marc Leishman, United States’ Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa, England’s Danny Willett and Lee Westwood, and the list goes on and on. It’s going to be a quality World Cup – one of the best we’ve seen in quite some time,” McDowell said. “To win in that type of field would be amazing. We’re looking forward to the challenge down at Kingston Heath.”
It will surely be a challenge, but will the Irish are fully equipped to take on some of the best players in the world and find their pot of golf Down Under.
