The worst thing for Shane Lowry about being Open champion was not being able to defend his title as scheduled last year. The best thing is that now he’ll defend it front of crowds.
“I’m happy to be here as regards to having quite a few people out on the golf course,” he said. “Obviously not having The Open last year was disappointing. You want to play in the biggest tournaments year in, year out.
“But coming back here and having the big grandstands, having the crowds out there. Everything that goes along with the Open Championship, I think that’s going to be pretty cool this week.”
‘Not playing in front of fans doesn’t do it for me’
The popular and modest Irishman feels he needs the presence of an audience to play at his best.
“I look back on 2020 as a season, and without making excuses too much, I think not playing in front of fans just doesn’t do it for me. That’s just the way it is
“I was playing great coming out of lockdown. and I just was stale when I got out there. I just couldn’t get it going.
“We’re kind of in the entertainment business when we’re out there, and when I have a difficult shot or when I’m stuck behind a tree or I have a tough up-and-down, I’m trying to almost show off a little bit. That makes all the difference.”
Lowry made the usual reluctant return of the Claret Jug on Monday – straightened after one incident, but it’s a more fragile treasure than it appears. He feels that the procedures and protocols against Covid-19 are as good as they can be.
‘I don’t want to be here playing in front of nobody’
“Obviously it’s not ideal, but that’s the world we live in at the minute,” he said, speaking after another former champion Zach Johnson, was forced to withdraw after testing positive.
“The R&A and doing a good job this week of trying to keep us away from as many people as they can. I know there’s going to be 32,000 people there, that’s great for the tournament.
“But I’m in my own bubble at my own house and I’m not leaving. I’m not allowed to do any of that stuff, and I think that’s good. I don’t want to be here playing in front of nobody. I was very excited when I heard that there was going to be that many people here.
“It’s the nature of the world at the moment. You just have to mind yourself. I’m not saying Zach didn’t mind himself because he probably did. He probably got it somewhere stupid, but that’s just where we are.”
Johnson had played 69 consecutive majors dating back to the Masters in 2004 before covid-19 knocked him out this week. Ryan Moore is also absent with a back injury and South Africa’s Louis de Jager has also tested positive.
Adam Long, Sam Horsfield and Dylan Fritelli are now in the championship, and Australia’s Wade Ormsby is the new first reserve.