A week before the Open Championship, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are going in opposite directions.
McIlroy crowned his Dubai Duty Free Irish Open week with 2 over par 74 and finished 59th. Lowry was never in the race at Mount Juliet Estates either, but one final lap left him in a much better mood.
“I was really up this morning and tried to shoot as deep as possible and play good golf. I feel like my game is today. Play good golf, put a couple of putts and pocket a nice 66 on a Sunday to end the week, « said Lowry.
» Of course it’s a little disappointing that I didn’t get a better result, but I can do a lot today of self-confidence. «
Lowry has been the reigning Open Champion at Royal Portrush since winning the burgundy mug in 2019. Last year’s championship was canceled due to the pandemic.
The 34-year-old Irishman will not compete at the upcoming Scottish Open, but decides to celebrate his wife’s birthday (Sunday) for a few days and then local preparations for his To defend the title.
« I’m excited and looking forward to playing links golf here in Ireland next week and looking forward to going to St. George’s on Monday, » said Lowry.
« The week will be nice, of course I’m there to defend. I’m there to play good golf and I’m there to land as high as I can and you know, of course everything related to defending an open will be there and it will be new to me, so I have to learn quickly. ”
McIlroy will be at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick for next week’s tournament. And he feels he needs the work.
It’s been a tough weekend for the 2016 Irish Open Champion. After McIlroy shot 66 on Friday to give a little confidence, McIlroy shot 73-74 over the last 36 holes. He had his third double bogey in two days on Sunday, and although he scored an equalizing eagle on the fifth par-5, McIlroy failed to break the par – he finished the bogey-bogey.
« Not good. Yeah, I didn’t drive the ball well at all. I didn’t hit the fairway with my driver. The rest of the game feels okay, but if you don’t put the ball into the fairway, it’s hard to score « He said.
» I’m glad I added the Scottish Open just to get a feel for links golf. I haven’t played links course in almost two years so it’ll be nice to be on a link to come back and get familiar with it again. ”
McIlroy won the 2014 Open at Royal Liverpool and, after retiring from injury in 2015, achieved three consecutive top 5 finishes. This run ended dramatically in 2019 when he made his first tee shot at Portrush outside of the Hit the limits and missed the cut despite a rally on Friday.
McIlroy had some momentum after a tie for seventh place in the youngest major, the US Open in Torrey Pines. But that seems to have faded after the gig this week.
“I certainly don’t feel that good where I am compared to what I was after the US Open. But I still have a week to prepare and prepare and of course I want to play well next week and have a chance to win. There’s nothing like preparing for a big championship by getting into the competition the week before, « said McIlroy.
» But I have to work pretty hard on my game over the next few days before I get in go to the Scottish Open. «
FROM Mercer Baggs
FROM Golf Channel Digital
BY Brentley Romine
After a mediocre opening round, Rory McIlroy fired a bogey-free 67 at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on Friday.
Three parades at the end made Rory McIlroy lucky that he was no further off the pace was to start the Irish Open.
It’s been 17 years since Rory McIlroy visited the Mount Juliet Estate, home of this week’s Irish Open.
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