Shane Lowry has had 'mad few days' since winning Irish Open

Around 12 hours after winning the Irish Open at Doonbeg, Shane Lowry was back on course at Adare Manor for a Ryder Cup reconnaissance mission

Shane Lowry tees off at one of his favourite tournaments, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, at 7:50am on Thursday. Pic: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Shane Lowry arrived at Adare Manor at 1am on Monday and was on course six hours later, making a rapid transition from winning the Irish Open at Doonbeg to joining Luke Donald's Ryder Cup scouting mission.

A year out from the tournament, Lowry and 15 other potential Team Europe players attended the recce at the Limerick venue. 

"It was really nice," Lowry said of the gathering.

"I was very tired on the course, and we had a good time. It was a worthwhile trip for the team, and I'm sure Luke and Dodo (European vice-captain Eduardo Molinari) got some good stuff out of it. 

"I'm not going to lie, I didn't get to spend too much time. Got there at 1.00am and I was up at 7.00am and played about 18 holes and went home. 

"I'm sure for like Angel (Ayora) and Eugenio (Chacarra) and the other guys that were there... I played with Angel, me, him, Tommy (Fleetwood) and Rosey (Justin Rose), and it's nice to be in that environment.

"It might give them something extra that they need to kick on now and go ahead to make the team."

Lowry is yet to fully grasp what he achieved in winning the Irish Open by 11 shots. The schedule allows little time for pondering. He will tee off at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth at 7:50am on Thursday morning alongside fellow European Ryder Cup players Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton. 

"I got to go home and see my parents and everyone in Offaly on Monday evening, so that was nice," he said.

"I've had a nice few days. It's been great. There's been plenty of Mondays this year where I've been not in the best of form so it's nice to kind of be around the people you're closest to and yeah try and enjoy it as much as you can. It's been a mad few days. 

"Obviously I'm here at a big tournament this week and I want to kind of keep going and playing good golf.  To win my National Open by 11 shots was incredible to do it the way I did, everything about the whole week, the crowds, the atmosphere, it was an amazing week. I've been through a few little tough times this year. It's been pretty good to do that."

What will help him refocus is his love for a tournament he won in 2022.

"This is my favourite tournament of the year," he said.

"Love coming over here. Just love being here, the whole area. We get looked after so well. I think this is obviously our biggest tournament of the year, and the Tour do a great job in the tournament they put on here. So yeah, it's nice to be back here, and hopefully I can continue some good golf.

"I've got this afternoon now to sort of chill and try to get my head around back to competing tomorrow because at the end of the day, I'm a professional and I'm a golfer and I want to go out there and do my best.

"It will be up to me to sort myself out and get some rest. Rest is going to be important over the next few days and if I can play golf the way I am, hopefully give myself a chance this week, as well."