Lowry warns dodging the bunkers is key

Shane Lowry might have become just the third amateur to win on the European Tour at Baltray in 2009, but he’s not piling his cash on a fairytale repeat from one of the quartet of amateurs at Carton House this week.

As the touring professional, Lowry knows how demanding the Montgomerie Course can be and while the Irish amateurs Reeve Whitson, Gavin Moynihan and Kevin Phelan know the course well and Welsh amateur Rhys Pugh won here in last year’s European Amateur Championship, he can’t see one of them leaving the pros in the shade on Sunday.

“Over 72 holes of golf, anything can happen,” said Lowry, who tees it up in a stellar three-ball with Rory McIlroy and 2006 winner Thomas Bjorn tomorrow morning. “But I would be surprised if any of the amateurs won on Sunday. Obviously I did it, but it’s hard. I’m not going to put any pressure on any of them and say that any of them can win it, but I think that they need to come here this week and enjoy themselves and take everything in, and hopefully they get four rounds. I think should be their goal this week.”