Shane Lowry has set his sights on a second Horizon Irish Open title backed by bus-loads of home fans after making a strong start to a massive month of golf.
Lowry carded seven birdies and three bogeys in an opening 68 to trail clubhouse leader Shubhankar Sharma by three shots on a sweltering opening day at The K Club.
The former Open champion, who was still an amateur when he won the Irish Open in 2009, will defend his BMW PGA Championship title next week and then make his second appearance in the Ryder Cup at the end of September, with Europe seeking to regain the trophy in Rome. “Take away everything else that’s in the next few weeks, this is a big week for me, ” Lowry said. “I want to go out there and play well and give myself a chance to win this tournament. “It’s only 45 minutes to an hour from where I’m from in Clara.
I want the people to be getting on their buses on Sunday morning to come and watch me try and win this tournament. “That’s all I want this week.