Shane Lowry: 'I miss being announced on the first tee as defending champion, but I'm sure I'll get that next year'

File picture of Shane Lowry

This Thursday was the day Shane Lowry should have stood on the first tee at Royal St George’s and taken the plaudits as defending champion at the 149th Open.

Instead of being lauded on the English coast for his Claret Jug heroics at Royal Portrush a year ago, he is in Ohio where the Irishman gets his first round of the Memorial Tournament underway at Muirfield Village, keen not to dwell on the what-might-have-beens.