‘If I'm sitting there with the Ryder Cup, it'll be a good year’ - Shane Lowry plans to make his Team Europe pick count

Shane Lowry believes he has a leadership role to play at Bethpage Black and insists winning the Ryder Cup will turn what’s been a nearly year into a great one.

The Offaly man (38) will make his third appearance in the event on Long Island later this month, and while he’s suffered some painful near misses this season, winning an away Ryder Cup would make up for everything.

“It's hard to explain sometimes, and people might say it's not the right way for me to think, but honestly, I say it all the time, if I'm sitting there at the end of September with the Ryder Cup, or whenever it finishes, I think it'll be a good year regardless,” Lowry said.

“So I put a lot of eggs in that basket, and that's just, that's just the way I am. It’s a big, big part of my career. It's a big part of my goals. Always has been.

"If we're sitting in New York on the Sunday night with the Ryder Cup in our team room, I'll be a very happy man.”

Europe returns to the fray with 11 of the 12 players who won in Rome and Lowry believes that will only make it easier to present a united front, no matter how hostile the New York galleries.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry

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“Obviously, Rasmus [Hojgaard] was there in a decent capacity last time as well,” said Lowry on the change of Nicolai for his twin brother this time around. “It's great to have him here this time.

"And we also have a lot of continuity in the backroom set-up as well: the captains, vice captains and the people in the background as well.

"So I think it's just going to be an easier get-together for the team. When we all come together, we'll all feel as one pretty quickly.

“Sometimes it can be hard to do that when you play an individual sport all year, to come together and all be one together quite, quite soon.”

As for the favourites' tag, Lowry does not believe Europe can assume that role, even with the Masters champion, the FedEx Cup champion and the LIV Golf individual winner on the team.

“No team is going to really go in as favourites for an away Ryder Cup,” he said. “I think it's a hard thing to do.

“I think we'll put in the work, and we'll put into preparation over the next few weeks, and even though we might not go in as favourites, I'm sure that we're going to believe that we'll be able to do it.”

The Clara man and his family were subjected to abuse by fans at Whistling Straits in 2021, but while he knows most of the support will be for the US team, he’s not taking it as a given that the home fans will cross the line.

“I don't think you can single things out, but what I do know is that when you're prepared for something, it's much easier to handle it,” Lowry said.

“In my first Ryder Cup away, I wasn't really prepared for it mentally, what it was going to be like playing against 50,000 people, along with the 12 lads we were actually playing against.

“When you hear cheers on the course, it's actually a bad thing in an away Ryder Cup.

“Because I've not been a definite in the team over the last few months, I'm probably not as clearly into the plans Luke has in place for us going forward over next few weeks, but I'd imagine there's going be a lot of things done between now and that first tee shot on the Friday morning to get us ready for whatever's to come.

“There's been a lot of talk about what the crowds are going to be like and how bad they're going to be, but I think there's going to be a lot of European fans there.

“I said it last week when I was asked about it, that we play week in, week out in America.

"We all live in America, or most of us do anyway, and we've got all got a lot of fans in America, so I don't think they can turn on you that bad for one week, but you know, that remains to be seen.”

As for his larger-than-life role in the team room, which Donald alluded to when announcing him as his first wild card, Lowry is relishing the prospect of being the glue that helps the team bond.

“Obviously, team sports is something that I always grew up with,” he said. “And obviously, Gaelic football is a huge part of my life and my family life, and my upbringing.

“I think that's where I get my competitiveness from. I get that from my dad, and what he was like as a player.

“What can I bring to the team? Honestly, I think I bring a sense of togetherness. I feel like I'm one of the players who is always in the team room. I'm always there. I'm always around.

“I enjoy the aspect of being around other people, and getting everyone together, and getting everyone to open up and be themselves.

“At the end of the day, we're kind of all working towards one thing, and that's winning the Ryder Cup.

“So I think I do bring a sense of togetherness in the team room. And I feel like I'm someone that people can open up and talk to as well, if I’m needed.”

Donald completed the team by adding Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick to the side, meaning there is just one change from the 12 that won in Rome with automatic qualifier Rasmus Hojgaard replacing his twin brother Nicolai.

England’s Matt Wallace, who missed out on a captain’s pick in 2018 despite three victories that season, suffered more heartbreak.

The 35-year-old finished 12th in the European team rankings, while Rahm’s position on the LIV Golf tour meant he did not accrue enough points, finishing 24th.

However, such is Rahm’s stature as a big occasion player – he had two top-10s in this year’s majors and only Hatton and Hovland scored more points than him in Rome – and Donald’s desire to include him that a spot had to be made available and that proved costly for Wallace.

Team Europe

Qualifiers – Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tyrrell Hatton

Captain’s picks – Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick.

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