I've gotten better since 2019 Open win - Lowry

Shane Lowry has built a hugely awesome CV successful master play since he catapulted himself connected to nan segment by winning nan 2009 Irish Open arsenic an amateur.

In his 15 years connected tour, nan 37-year-old Irishman has tucked distant 7 master wins, spent clip wrong nan world's apical 20 and helped Europe triumph backmost nan Ryder Cup successful Rome past year.

Lowry's defining accomplishment to date, of course, came astatine The Open Championship successful Royal Portrush successful 2019, his triumph 1 of nan much stirring caller awesome triumphs arsenic golf's oldest title returned to Northern Ireland aft a 68-year absence.

Lowry was unstoppable that week, finishing six shots clear of Tommy Fleetwood to declare nan Claret Jug.

In nan 5 years since becoming nan Champion Golfer of nan Year, Lowry has managed conscionable 1 individual triumph - nan BMW PGA Championship astatine Wentworth successful September 2022 (he won nan Zurich Classic alongside Rory McIlroy earlier this year).

Despite that, nan world number 33 feels he is simply a superior competitor to nan 1 who covered Royal Portrush successful 269 shots (15 nether par) successful nan past pre-Covid major.

"I consciousness for illustration nan solid is ever half afloat pinch me. I consciousness for illustration I'm a amended subordinate now than I was successful 2019," Lowry says erstwhile asked if he feels adjacent to recapturing his Open-winning form.

"There are parts of my crippled that are decidedly better. There are parts I tin ever amended connected but nan shape I'm in, I played OK successful Canada past week, not amazing, and played beautiful successful Valhalla.

"I surely consciousness for illustration a amended subordinate than I was then. Maybe that's conscionable nan affirmative golfer coming retired successful me."

The "lovely" play astatine Valhalla to which Lowry refers helped him decorativeness successful a necktie for sixth astatine nan US PGA Championship, his champion decorativeness successful a awesome since nan 2022 Masters.

His scorching, record-tying Saturday 62 connected nan Louisville layout had group him up for a tilt astatine a 2nd major, and while a final-round 70 near him frustrated, his crippled appears successful good style up of adjacent week's US Open and nan Open astatine Royal Troon successful mid-July.

This year's US Open returns to Pinehurst No.2 for nan first clip since 2014, and while Lowry missed nan trim 10 years ago, he is relishing different ace astatine nan demanding North Carolina course.

"I retrieve really struggling connected nan writer astir there, astir nan greens, nan grain," Lowry recalls of 2014.

"But since then, I've moved to Florida and I play connected that writer week in, week retired truthful I ideate it won't origin maine arsenic overmuch trouble.

"The people will request robust play and consecutive driving disconnected nan tee. If I spell location pinch my crippled successful shape, I consciousness for illustration I tin do something."

Lowry, who will usage this week's Memorial Tournament to fine-tune his crippled for Pinehurst, is besides excited to return to Portrush for nan Open successful 2025.

And while nan Dunluce Links will everlastingly clasp a typical spot successful his heart, Lowry says it would beryllium "amazing" to spot Portmarnock fixed nan chance to big nan Open successful nan future.

Last year, nan R&A said it was keen to "investigate nan possibility" of staging nan Open astatine nan Dublin club.

While nan Open has ne'er been held extracurricular of nan United Kingdom, Portmarnock hosted nan men's Amateur Championship successful 2019 pinch nan women's arena being played location later this month.

Lowry said: "When will it happen? I don't know, I dream it happens successful my career, it would beryllium awesome but we'll person to hold and spot nan group astatine nan top, what decisions they make.

"There's a batch much that goes into it than conscionable saying 'we're going to person it there'.

"There's a batch of infrastructure and what needs to hap pinch nan play course. It would beryllium awesome but having it backmost successful Portrush adjacent twelvemonth is awesome arsenic well, to person it anyplace connected nan island, I'm very excited astir that."