Shane Lowry hopes he has made the cut for Ryder Cup

Lowry’s two-year reign as Open champion came to an end at the postponed 149th Championship at Royal St George’s but he felt his six-under total was not representative of how well he had played

Shane Lowry. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA

Outgoing Open champion Shane Lowry hopes to avoid giving Ryder Cup captain Pádraig Harrington a selection headache but if he does not qualify automatically he believes his big tournament performances give him an advantage.

The Clara native’s two-year reign came to an end at the postponed 149th Championship at Royal St George’s but he felt his six-under total was not representative of how well he had played.

Lowry’s best performance in this year’s majors was tied fourth at May’s US PGA but he played well enough for a while at the Masters and US Open that he believes he has done plenty to justify inclusion as a captain’s pick.

“I would have liked a better finish but I’m happy with the week overall,” he said after posting a second-successive 69.

“I think there are certain stages of the day when I felt I was in the tournament and I think I’ve played some of my best golf of the year.

“It’s such a high-pressure week. I put a lot of pressure on myself in these big weeks and I’m pretty happy how I performed.

“I have made a few Ryder Cup points out there today – I’m just doing my best to make sure Pádraig doesn’t have a headache come September.

“My plan is to make the team. If I don’t hopefully I’m playing well enough to deserve to be picked.

“I feel like I’ve been great in the big tournaments this year. The Masters I wasn’t far away, the US PGA I was close.

“I’ve been close this week so I think my performances have been pretty good.”