Lowry keeping his cool ahead of US Open debut
Shane Lowry gained confidence from his performance alongside Rory McIlroy at Wentworth last month. Credit: www.golffile.ieShane Lowry believes he can keep cool at boiling Congressional and make a red hot US Open debut.
The burly Offaly ace, 24, is bracing himself for scorching temperatures set to top 100 degrees. But he has no fear that he could suffer a physical meltdown on a course that nearly cost Ken Venturi his life when he suffered sunstroke and staggered to victory there in 1964.
Believing he his can beat the heat and continue his hot streak of form, Lowry said: “I’ve heard it’s 100 degrees over there at the minute but it doesn’t really worry me.
“It was really warm when I played in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone a couple of years ago and I did okay and it can’t be any warmer that it was in Singapore and I’ve played there a few times.
“You learn how to deal with the heat by just taking in more water. I won’t be doing anything special to prepare for it.”
Lowry’s form has been white hot since he slipped back into the groove recently following a long injury lay-off over the winter.
He grabbed three top 15s in a row to recover his confidence and then followed a brilliant third place finish in the BMW PGA at Wentworth by qualifying brilliantly for the US Open.
He believes he’s playing the best golf of his life right now and with no expectations on his shoulders he expects to make a solid debut.
He said: “I can’t wait to get out there. From watching US Opens in previous years, level par is always a good score.
“If I can just go out, stay patient and enjoy myself, I should be okay.”
Lowry loves nothing better than a big stage, as he showed at Wentworth recently when he finished birdie-birdie-eagle on Sunday to grab the biggest cheque of his pro career.
Big events bring out the best in him and he’s hoping to drink in the atmosphere and gain experience for future major challenges next week.
Bursting to get going, Lowry said: “I seem to find it easier to get up for bigger tournaments. I love playing events with a bigger and a better field.
“When I am playing with top players I tend to get up for it a lot and that’s just the way I am and it is a good way to be.
“There were 12 of the top 15 players in the world at Wentworth and I was third there so there’s no reason why it can’t be done over in America if I can bring my A game over there.”
Lowry’s short game is razor sharp and if he drives the ball as well as he did at Wentworth, he’s got a chance of springing a surprise.
He’s also a better long iron player than he was at last year’s US PGA, where he missed the cut on a marathon second day.
Pleased with the improvements he’s made in that department with coach Neil Manchip, he said: “It was my Achilles’ heel but my three, four and five iron play has improved a lot which is good because I will be wearing those clubs out next week.”