Shane Lowry hoping patience pays major dividends

Shane Lowry will renew his quest for a major breakthrough at Chambers Bay tonight confident that his links experience can pay dividends if he matches his good form with the required levels of patience.

Lowry, competing in his third US Open alongside a trio of fellow Irishmen with a major victory on their resumé has the belief he can join Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke in the pantheon of elite champions. The 28-year-old is hopeful a genuine links test such as this one on the fine fescue of Chambers Bay gives him a better than even chance to do so.

Others may be baulking at the prospect of a distinctly Open-esque US Open but the Esker Hills golfer who won the Irish Open at Baltray in 2009 feels right at home by the shores of Puget Sound.

“I actually really like it. The one thing for me is that the grass on the greens and on the fairways are very similar to what we play at home but, yeah, it’s very tricky.

“It’s going to be one of those weeks where you really, really need to be patient. That’s the key for me.

“I like the look of it. Straight away when you’re standing on a golf course for the first time and it suits your eye, it’s always a good thing and I always say one of the reasons I won in Baltray was because I was comfortable on the golf course, so you never know.”

Mental and physical fatigue play a large part in the unravelling of a golfer in the sort of gruelling test the US Open provides and to that end, Lowry factored plenty of rest into his preparations here this week, restricting his practice to nine holes each day having played 18 on Monday. This is his third US Open and his 10th major championship and the 28-year-old has found a comfort level in the way he approaches the biggest tournaments of the season.

A tie for ninth at The Open in Hoylake last July has been the highlight but having missed the cut in both last year’s US Open at Pinehurst and on his Masters debut this April by a shot each time, he recognises the need to now start making more of an impact to reflect his aptitude for competing at the highest levels.

“I just want to get out now and try and prove myself in the majors. I’ve played in plenty of them and the next thing I want to do is try and start competing in them.”

Lowry is more than at ease at Chambers Bay. “It’s 20 degrees warmer than it is back home but yeah, it’s the same grass, the rough’s the same and they’ve created a really proper links golf course here. It’s firm, it’s running and I’m actually not carrying any woods other than my driver this week.

“I’ll have a two and a three iron in my bag and an extra wedge. It’s one of those for a lot of two irons off tees and just get the ball in play and then second shots and iron play.

“If you get yourself out of position try and get back into position and not make a double bogey, just take the bogey and take it on the chin and move onto the next.”

The way Lowry has been playing practice this week suggests he will not be getting out of position too often this week and he will tee it up today at 10:39pm Irish time suitably armed with the confidence required of any golfer with ambitions of glory come Sunday night.

“I have a bit of confidence at the minute and I feel like I’m going okay. I didn’t get what I felt I deserved at the Irish Open and I feel I can hopefully kick on this week and see what happens come the weekend. I’m playing nicely, feel like I’ve been playing well for a while now. My iron play is good and I’m striking the ball well and if I can get my putter going you never know.”