<p>Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm celebrate Europe's Ryder Cup success at Bethpage in 2025. Picture: PGA of America</p>
Shane Lowry hasn’t lost the bottle that made him a Ryder Cup legend, and Paul McGinley is backing him to play a massive role in Europe’s hat-trick bid at Adare Manor next year.
The Offaly man is struggling for confidence after suffering a string of near misses this year, but winning 2014 skipper McGinley has no doubt he will be a big part of Luke Donald’s 2027 team.
Speaking at a news conference to announce that EY will be the presenting partner of the next three Junior Ryder Cup matches, starting with the 2027 edition at Ballyneety Golf Course in Limerick (with the final day scheduled for Adare), McGinley dismissed chatter that Lowry can no longer handle the pressure.
“I’ve absolutely no worries at all about Shane,” McGinley said of Lowry, who will be looking for a confidence-boosting performance ahead of The Open in this week’s Genesis Scottish Open.
“Professional golf is not a straight line. Everybody has lows and ups and downs. I certainly think that not winning in Palm Beach during the year and not winning in Dubai with two great chances has certainly affected him, and there’s a bit of a knock-on effect from that.
“All it will take now to get him back on the horse again is one good performance again, which he’s well capable of.
“The Open should suit him. His game is still so good. You look at a player’s underlying statistics to see if there’s a big dip in any of the categories and there’s nothing there.”
McGinley still looks to the Clara man’s gutsy comeback to birdie the 18th and grab a crucial half with Russell Henley at Bethpage that ensured Europe would retain the trophy as proof that he’s not afraid of the big moments.
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“He doesn’t have the confidence over the line that he certainly had. But you look at what he did in the Ryder Cup last year, I said to him, listen, you would swap not winning Dubai and not winning in Palm Beach for what you did at the Ryder Cup.
“For people to say that you can’t handle the pressure or the head’s gone, whatever… What he did in the cauldron of the Ryder Cup, when all the momentum was going against him, that’s what was so impressive, because things were going really pear-shaped for Europe.
“For him to be able to come down those last few holes and birdie that last hole the way he did was just phenomenal.
“So, I have absolutely no worries whatsoever about Shane coming back into form, and it’s just the natural evolution of being a professional golfer; it’s just swings and roundabouts.”
The Ryder Cup qualifying campaign will start later this summer, and McGinley fully expects Lowry to remain a “huge personality” in the 2027 European team.
“He really is a world-class player,” he said. “He’s been such a huge part of the last few Ryder Cups. Having been involved around the team a lot last year as a Strategic Advisor, Shane is massively influential to the team’s success, not just in how he plays but in his personality.
“He’s certainly one of those guys that will have a very, very strong chance of a pick if he doesn’t make it as one of the top six. That’s how important he is, and everybody knows that.
As for the Junior Ryder Cup, which will feature qualifying events in Ireland, McGinley hopes to see some Irish players follow in the footsteps of Leona Maguire and Rory McIlroy and make Stephen Gallacher’s side for the mixed team event.
As for the Junior Ryder Cup, which will feature qualifying events in Ireland, McGinley hopes to see some Irish players follow in the footsteps of Leona Maguire and Rory McIlroy and make Stephen Gallacher’s side for the mixed team event.
“Some great players have come through the Junior Ryder Cup over the years, and a lot of tour players, men and ladies, have come through,” he said. “So we look forward to seeing future stars in the future, and some Irish players represented too.”
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<p>Padraig Harrington lifts the US Senior Open trophy for the third time. Picture: USGA</p>
The Dubliner hits the fairways at the OFX Irish Legends at Carton House from Friday as his World Cup-winning partner Pádraig Harrington joins Lowry, Tom McKibbin and Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open.
Harrington (54) won his third US Senior Open on Sunday, and McGinley does not write off his chances in The Open at Royal Birkdale next week, should the weather play ball.
“Why not? I mean, Tom Watson (challenged) at 59,” he said. “I think Pádraig needs bad weather. If it was bad weather, his attitude is so good, and he loves fighting and battling.
“If it’s weather like this, the American players, particularly, will be able to overpower the golf course and do their thing.
“But if it gets a bit gnarly and a bit windy and a bit difficult and guys get frustrated, how could you rule Pádraig out?
“With the way he plays still, how competitive he still is, and on a links golf course, you know, I think his days of winning the Masters or winning the US Open are gone, but not at winning the Open Championship. That’s the one, as Tom Watson proved, where the old wily player can still compete.”
Article Link: 'I’ve absolutely no worries at all about Shane' — McGinley backs Lowry to regain mojo - News - Irish Golf Desk