Shane Lowry still chasing that elusive spark

Shane Lowry yesterday eyed up the sleek BMW coupe positioned behind the lake that frames the 18th green at Fota Island, the prize for a hole-in-one at next month's Irish Open. One good or lucky shot is all it will take for someone to drive it away. These days, though, the Offaly man – with a run of three missed cuts on tour – is more concerned about stringing together a sequence of good shots to ignite his season.

He has slipped to 141st in the world ranking and 195th on the European Tour money list.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, not after a winter's work – toning-up his body and practising his game – that left him eager to hit the road.

Struggled
"I've just come out of the blocks and struggled from the word go," confessed Lowry, who last evening flew out to the PGA Catalunya for this week's Spanish Open.

It’s still relatively early in the season, with the meat of the summer lying ahead. But is there additional pressure on having to keep a tour card?

“I’m human. I’m going to think of that. But when I do, I hit myself a slap on the head because I feel I’m way too good to be thinking in those terms. The standard is very good out there (on tour) but I’m confident in my own ability to have that done in one week.

“I haven’t let it get to me and certainly don’t think about it on the course.

He added: “It’s just hard to take. I feel like I’m good enough to be one of the top-50 players in the world and I’m just not doing it at the minute. I feel like my game is fine. I’m lacking that little bit of confidence.

“My putting hasn’t been great, clearly that’s what is letting me down at the minute. If I manage to hole a few more putts every round, that’ll make a difference . . . I don’t think I’ve ever been more in control of my actual golf game but, for some reason, my scores are not reflecting it.”

One reason could be the lack of momentum, a stop-start schedule combining with those missed cuts.

This week and next at Wentworth, he will have his coach Neil Manchip along in starting a prolonged period of events.

In fact, Lowry will play eight of the next nine weeks in a run that has the Irish Open on June 19th-22nd in the middle, preferably straight from the US Open. Lowry will attempt to qualify for Pinehurst at Walton Heath following the BMW PGA at Wentworth.

“I am looking forward to the Spanish Open this week. I know I will hit a vein of good form soon. I just have to keep playing my way through my bad spell and keep plugging away . . . . one week can change anyone’s season.

"If I go to Spanish Open this week or Wentworth next week and all of a sudden you contend or get a win, people forget about the last three or four months and then the pressure will start coming from other angles. They'll be talking about Ryder Cups and all that; that's the way golf is."

Irish contingent
Lowry is part of an eight-strong Irish contingent in Catalunya, joined by Michael Hoey, Simon Thornton, Damien McGrane, Gareth Maybin, Paul McGinley, Kevin Phelan and David Higgins. Pádraig Harrington is the sole Irish competing in the Byron Nelson on the US Tour, before returning for next week's European Tour flagship event in Wentworth.