Shane wants to king of cool

Major winners Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke with their trophies on the bridge at the first hole in Killarney. (Photo Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)Shane Lowry admits that he must learn to be as cool as major winners Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy if he is to move up to the next level.

The 2009 Irish Open champion was shattered to miss the cut on his US Open debut last month after putting too much pressure on himself.

Looking to major winners Clarke and McIlroy as examples to follow, Lowry said: “The US Open wasn’t so much nerves as anxiety and trying too hard. I was expecting too much of myself.

“If I go out with too much expectation I normally don’t do too well. So if I just go out and try and play my own game and enjoy the golf.”

Lowry was blown away with how cool McIlroy remained en route to his eight-shot demolition of the field at Congressional.

He said: “It was unreal. He was in a different league that week - he was so relaxed. It was like looking at Darren in the Open. How cool was he? He looked like he was enjoying it, that’s the way golf has to be played.

“Before he went out on Saturday myself and my coach Neil Manchip were down on the practice chipping range messing about. Rory comes over and starts chatting. He was just flicking shots in and chatting away.

“He walks to the first tee and Neil goes ‘it just seems surreal that he’s going out with a five shot lead in the US Open’.”

Drawn with Clarke for the first two rounds in Killarney, Lowry added: “I know it’s an Irish Open but I’m coming down here just to try and treat it as another tournament.

“This game would drive you mad sometimes. You just have to learn from it and move on.”