Shane Lowry hopeful fans will line Irish Open fairways at Mount Juliet

“I’m hoping there is going to be even a couple of thousand people a day, although that would probably give me a big headache as I would probably need 1,999 of those tickets!”

Shane Lowry completed a great week at Kiawah Island on Sunday where he finished tied for fourth alongside Pádraig Harrington as Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Shane Lowry is cautiously optimistic there will be spectators back at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open when the European Tour event returns to these shores at Mount Juliet on July 1-4.

With reports over the weekend that the Government is drawing up plans for a gradual reopening of sports and live entertainment events from July, there is fresh optimism that this year’s Irish Open could be an early beneficiary with a small number of golf fans permitted entry to the tournament at the Co. Kilkenny resort this summer.

Mount Juliet Estate had been slated to host the event in May 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic forced a postponement and public health regulations prompted a switch to Northern Ireland in late September, behind closed doors at Galgorm Castle.

Lowry, who famously won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009 and has since become a major winner with his 2019 Open Championship victory at Royal Portrush, completed a great week at Kiawah Island on Sunday where he finished tied for fourth alongside Pádraig Harrington as Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship.

Speaking to Irish reporters before the second major of the year in South Carolina, Lowry was asked about the prospect of spectators lining the fairways at Mount Juliet.

“Who knows what will happen but I did see recently that they were planning on letting people into outdoor events from July 5 and I thought that was a bit weird as the Irish Open finishes on the 4th,” Lowry said.

“Obviously I would like to see crowds at the Irish Open and I’m hoping there is going to be even a couple of thousand people a day, that would be nice although that would probably give me a big headache as I would probably need 1,999 of those tickets!

“It is what it is back home. The R&A have announced that they are going to have crowds at The Open but the situation in the UK is a lot different than it is in Ireland.

“I would love to see crowds in Mount Juliet, I believe there is a chance, I have heard there is a chance, I hope there is a chance.

“Even if it’s only, I played in Houston last year with 2,000 people a day and it felt like 10,000, at least it was something like, better than nothing and I’m sure the people in Mount Juliet and the people involved in the Irish Open and sponsors and the European Tour will want to get crowds back.

“But in saying that, it’s the Government’s decision and we will just have to wait and see. We still have about six or seven weeks so hopefully things change between now and then.”