Shane Lowry didn’t have much time to sit back and reflect on his ventures in Paris as the Offaly man is back in action on the PGA Tour at the Wyndham Championship at North Carolina’s Sedgefield Country Club, but he told the assembled media in his pre-tournament press conference that his time in Paris was an experience he’ll never forget.
“To get to Paris last week, because we didn’t have crowds in the practice rounds, you couldn’t really get a gauge for what it was going to be like,” he said. “Walking onto that first tee and getting announced on Thursday was incredible. I’ve never — you know, there’s very few tournaments that is at that level. Honestly, it felt like one of the biggest tournaments in the world, it really did.
“I think it was an amazing week for golf and it was an amazing week for golf in the Olympics, and I think it will grow going forward. Obviously we had a great podium as well, which helps, and great people to help promote the game as well.
“I think as regards golf in the Olympics, I think it should be here to stay. I think for me personally it was, you know, some of the best 10 days of my career from carrying the flag for Ireland in the opening ceremony to going out there and playing for my country, which a lot of Irish people travel to support myself and Rory last week and it didn’t go unnoticed.
“Yeah, it was an amazing 10 days. Sort of when I look back on it, it will be something that I remember. I was very disappointed that I couldn’t do a better job, but the whole experience itself, I really enjoyed it.”
One of the aspects he enjoyed most was spending time with the other Irish athletes, most notably 110m hurdler Sarah Lavin, with whom he shared flag carrying duties at the Opening Ceremony, and it opened his eyes to the hard work and often little reward that are commonplace in other sports.
“You sort of see like we’re very spoiled as golfers to do what we do for a living,” he explained. “You see what other athletes have to put their bodies through and themselves through. Their reward is a medal at the end of the day. Well, for some of them the reward is just being there at the Olympics and that’s what it’s all about. It’s a very humbling experience as well as a golfer.”
There’s a lot at stake for Lowry this week as he comes into the final event of the regular PGA Tour season ranked 10th in the FedEx Cup, and should he retain his position after this week, he’ll receive a $1 million bonus payment.
“Yeah. I mean, obviously it was something that going into The Open I was kind of keeping an eye on where I was going to be going into this week. I had a pretty good showing at The Open, which pushed me up the rankings a little bit and ended up in 10th spot, which is obviously a nice place to be.
“Look, I’ve come into this tournament many years needing to do something, but I didn’t get into the FedExCup, so it’s nice to be up this end and playing for something like that.
“You know, I sort of sat down with my team a couple weeks ago and we were trying to figure out schedule and what I was going to do and how I was going to give myself the best chance to do well in the FedExCup as I could. Obviously there’s the Comcast this week, but there’s also a lot to play for over the next four weeks. I feel like try and play hard over the next four weeks, give it everything I have. I feel like I’m getting on in years and this is a very good opportunity for me to do well in the FedExCup and hopefully give it a run into Atlanta.”
This is Lowry’s 10th year on the PGA Tour, but he’s yet to play in the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, and that is a wrong he intends to right in 2024.
“Yeah, I do have my goals written down and it’s at the top of the list,” he said. “I’ve never made Atlanta. I’ve been very close a couple of times. Yeah, it’s one of those things that’s at the top of my list and I’m pretty much guaranteed there now, so it’s nice.
“It’s nice to be playing the FedExCup and it’s nice to be playing these next four weeks with a bit of freedom. I feel if I can be in the top — in this case, be in that 6 to 10 category going into Eastlake and starting a few shots behind Scottie’s not great. Even starting on par with him isn’t great this year. You know, I feel like I can make a bit of a run at Eastlake if I’m there.”