Pádraig Harrington says compatriot Shane Lowry is cut out for competitions like the Ryder Cup - “A big-time player who likes the big occasions”
Pádraig Harrington is happy to see compatriot Shane Lowry on the European Ryder Cup team. While Lowry doesn’t need to justify Europe skipper Luke Donald’s selection, Harrington has come out to state that the 36-year-old Irishman will step up to the occasion in Rome. The 52-year-old veteran gave Lowry an endorsement and joked that he’ll be so easy to motivate.
Harrington’s comments lauding Lowry come as people question the non-selection of Adrian Meronk. Donald, who picked rookies Nicolai Hojgaard and Ludvig Aberg into his squad, also placed Lowry above almost all of his picks. Harrington has now stated that the Irish star will be a star in Rome as he is a “big-time player who likes the big occasions.”
Speaking about Shane Lowry ahead of the Horizon Irish Open at The K Club, Pádraig Harrington said, as quoted by The Independent:
“There’s no doubt that Shane (Lowry), he’s a big-time player who likes the big occasions, the Majors, and at the Ryder Cup he was very, very comfortable. He wasn’t like a rookie at all in the sense he just loves the bigger, pressure-filled occasions.
"It’s strange seeing some of the people who aren’t in the know saying maybe somebody else should have gotten picked, and they might have named Shane. For me, it’s not even close… Sometimes you get stuck with a player and sometimes players can be one-dimensional, but Shane is going to fit in very nicely and be able to play whatever is required.”
Harrington even addressed European vice-captain Thomas Bjorn’s suggestion on Luke Donald needing to “press Lowry’s buttons.” The Irish veteran joked that such moves would “actually be holding him (Lowry) back.”
Harrington noted that the Ryder Cup-bound golfer has the “experience to keep stress levels low in an exhausting week” and that he’ll be “very comfortable” in the competition.
Ryder Cup Europe team captain, vice-captain defend Shane Lowry's pick
It is noteworthy that Team Europe skipper Luke Donald himself justified picking Shane Lowry over others for Rome by sighting the Irish golfer’s ability to play big games. Bjorn also was all in praise of the 2019 Open champion. He called Lowry a huge asset in the back room and dubbed him a “great backbone of the team.”
Bjorn also heaped praises on wildcard Ludvig Aberg’s Ryder Cup pick as well. He dubbed the 23-year-old Swede a “generational talent” and lauded Donald for picking the rookie along with Hojgaard for the squad.
For the unversed, Ryder Cup 2023 is set to tee off on September 29 at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy. The US vs. Europe team event will conclude on October 1.