Shane Lowry says his motivation to play has never been stronger as he sets his sights on more wins and making the European Ryder Cup team in 2021.
]The Irishman, who earned his first Rolex Series title at the 2019 edition of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, is confident and ‘ready to hit the ground running’ ahead of the first event of the new season.
“My motivation has never been stronger,” said Lowry.
“I probably have more motivation than I ever had to go out, play my best, answer some questions I have of myself – or maybe that other people have. I’m ready to hit the ground running this year and hopefully I can get off to a good start this week.
“Anybody who knows me knows I’m one of the most competitive people you will come across. Even playing nine holes with Pádraig today and I’m trying my best to shoot the best score I can to win that. The next big tournament I’d like to win would be this one. Every tournament I play I’m trying to win. You don’t win them all. You just have to take your chance when you get it. I come out here and give my best week-in, week-out to try and compete.”
With the European Points Race for the Ryder Cup resuming this week since they were paused after the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in March 2020, it’s a clear focus for a lot of European players hoping to make the team that flies to Whistling Straits in September.
Yet despite playing with Harrington earlier in the day, the current Open champion admitted that the Ryder Cup is one topic that he doesn’t broach with the European Captain.
“It’s funny, we never talk about it,” said Lowry, who admitted he wants to earn his way on to the team rather than needing to require a pick.
“I don’t want to leave it to him to have to pick me, because I know how hard a decision that would be. If I’m playing great golf and deserve a pick, I deserve one, end of story. But I don’t want to have to depend on one. I want to make the team and he knows that more than anything. I’m going to be doing my best.
“Golf’s a funny game. We don’t know what’s ahead of us. I go out and give my best every day and see where it leaves me. If, for some reason, I don’t make the team and I’m playing good enough golf, I might deserve a pick. We genuinely don’t talk about it. It never really comes up in conversation.”
But that doesn’t mean it’s not at the forefront of his mind. Lowry made it clear that the Ryder Cup was a key factor in how he would assess a successful 2021 for him, but he also believes he is a more mature player than the last time he had a chance to make the team.
“I’ve probably let it get in the way in previous years,” he said.
“I’ve only really had one good chance of making The Ryder Cup team and I messed that up myself, let’s be honest. That was in 2016 for Darren’s team. The way I am now and the way my career path has gone, I’m more mature and ready to go and take that next step and make the team. It’s just up to me to get there my own way, let myself play golf.
“I know how good I can play, I just need to try and let that happen, keep working hard and hopefully I’m on that plane, not only going there but winning the trophy as well.
“I think if I get another win on the board and head to America in September and win the Ryder Cup that’s my goal for the year, to focus on myself and try and get another win on the board soon enough and then hopefully go to Whistling Straits in September and bring back the Ryder Cup to Europe. Obviously I want to make the team but I also want to go out there and win as well, stamp my name on that part of golf.”
Lowry is also aware that the revised qualification criteria, which sees points multiplied by 1.5 until May 9 and thereafter multiplied by two, could really benefit his chances.
“What they’ve done with the points is great for the likes of me who is outside the team at the minute. I get the chance to make up points over the next eight months. I’m happy with that and hopefully I can make as many as is enough to get in the team. Hopefully I make more than enough and have the best season of my life. I know if I can play as good as I know I can, there’s no doubt I can make that team.”
Making his first European Tour start since the Masters in November after taking time off, Lowry said that he is hoping that he can start off his season by drawing on past success in Abu Dhabi.
“It’s obviously nice to come back to a place where you’ve played well in the past. Obviously I’ve had some success here in the past, in 2019. I didn’t play here for quite a few years, so it was nice to come back that year and then win in my first trip back for a while. I like the tournament and I like the place but I haven’t played a tournament in definitely eight weeks, maybe more.
“I had some time off and I’ve been in the States for the last couple of weeks doing some practice which is nice. I feel like my game is good, I’m playing nicely in practice but we all know sometimes that doesn’t always transform into good form on the course so we’ll just have to wait and see, prepare as best I can here and then on Thursday go out and give it my best shot and see where it leaves me.”
