No finish line in sight as Lowry looks towards County Down 

Shane Lowry will take only a week off before heading to Europe to compete in three consecutive DP World Tour stops.

Shane Lowry of Ireland reacts to his par on the fourth green during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 01, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Reaching his first Tour Championship in 10 seasons playing double-digit PGA Tour events was a nice accomplishment for Shane Lowry. But like fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy, getting to the season finale wasn’t a finish line as he still has a busy schedule ahead.

After playing six of the last seven weeks, including five in a row, Lowry will take only a week off before heading to Europe to compete in three consecutive DP World Tour stops at Royal County Down, Wentworth and Madrid.

“I have too much,” Lowry admitted. “It’s going to be hard. I’ve just done three weeks away from my family, my kids. I’m about to do another good run going back to Europe. That’s probably the most difficult part for me. It’s nothing to do with the fatigue levels and the getting up for golf, but when you’re FaceTiming your kids and they’re asking you when you’re going to be home and it’s not going to be for another three weekends, that always gets hard.

“But it is what it is; that’s what we have to do. Going back to play the Irish Open and Wentworth is going to be two big tournaments for me. Irish Open means a lot to me, and Wentworth, I’ve done quite well there in the past and I really love the tournament.

“Going back and playing in those and then Madrid the week after, I have a big stint away, but after that I’ll have some time off. I’ll have plenty of time off this winter to get ready for 2025.” 

Lowry is particularly excited about the Irish Open, where he first broke his maiden as an amateur in 2009 at County Louth. He also won his Open Championship in Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush, so heading up to County Down is something Lowry is very much looking forward to after he spends a week in Ireland playing some links golf to get reacclimated.

“It’s always one of the weeks at the start of the year where I look and I want to perform that week,” he said. “Going to Royal County Down, I haven’t played there since we were there in 2015 or so, around then. So yeah, going back there is going to be cool.

“It’s obviously one of the great golf courses in the world, one of the great venues. I just hope we get some good weather. If we get some good weather it’ll be an amazing week, and, yeah, hopefully I can do well.” 

Once his European tripleheader is over, Lowry will finally take a breath and start preparing for what he hopes will be a big season in 2025. With major stops at Augusta, Oakmont and Portrush – all places Lowry holds dear – he has a lot to look forward to. But the bigger picture for him is making Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.

“I’ll be very excited about what’s coming up,” Lowry said. “Obviously going back to Portrush for the Open is special. Oakmont – does it owe me one? I don’t know. But I played very well there the last time. Obviously, going back to Augusta, yeah, look, there’s no doubt that where I’m at in my career now I look towards the four majors in the Ryder Cup next year. That’s my year. Like, that's it, you know.

“So from planning my schedule in January, like, what’s gonna make me play good when I got to Augusta, the PGA, U.S. Open and how am I going to make the Ryder Cup team and help Luke and boys win that. That’s my year.

“To be honest I want to do well at the majors, but the Ryder Cup is going to be at the very top of that list for me. That’s just where I’m at. It’s just where I’m at. It’s what I love doing. It’s what I love. That’s it. Yeah, but I’m very excited about next year … and this year has shown me that I’m still well able to compete at this top level."