Wentworth wake up call for Lowry
VIRGINIA WATER, ENGLAND - MAY 28: Alex Noren of Sweden celebrates victory with the trophy after the final round on day four of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on May 28, 2017 in Virginia Water, England. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Shane Lowry moved up seven places to 69th in the world and admitted his BMW PGA reverse might be just the "kick in the arse" he needs to "get on with things."
After proving that his putting is back on track by surging into a share of the lead on nine under with five birdies in the first seven holes, Lowry knew he needed to pick up three more shots to overtake clubhouse leader Alex Noren.
The Swede shot a course record 62 to set the target at 11 under, eventually winning by two shots from Francesco Molinari as rain fell on the chasing pack and they ran into trouble down the old Burma Road.
Lowry's troubles started when he bunkered his approach to the par-five 12th —one of the few straightforward birdie opportunities —and failed to get up and down for his four.
He then lipped out for another birdie at the 14th before fatally hooking his tee shot out of bounds on the 15th, running up a double bogey seven.
His tournament over, Lowry then got unlucky with his tee shot at the par-five 17th, remaining in the left semi after catching a spectator on the heel.
“Maybe that’s the taste of contention I need to give myself a kick in the arse and get on with things”
He was blocked out and finished left of the green in three, eventually making another seven before repairing some of the damage with a spectacular eagle three at the 18th.
The eagle was worth nearly €90,000 extra to Lowry who carded a 69 to share sixth place on seven-under and picked up €187,550 to move up 87 places to 57th in the Race to Dubai.
"I put myself in a great position and went out and did what I needed to do, Lowry said.
Shane Lowry
"Alex obviously shot a great score and I saw that when I got to about 12. I knew what I needed to do.
"A bit of rain on 15 and I'd love to be standing on the 15th tee again but I'm not. Bit of a brain fart on 17 and I am just disappointed. It's a funny game any maybe that's the taste of contention I need to give myself a kick in the arse and get on with things.
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— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 28, 2017
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Co-leader pic.twitter.com/7ScFuoyM85
"The eagle at the last was nice. I suppose if I had gone away finishing 10th or 11th this week I'd have been very disappointed. So I will pick up a few world ranking points and a few Race to Dubai points and head off to The Memorial tomorrow and hopefully I can perform alright over there."
Lowry will be joined at Muirfield Village in Ohio by Pádraig Harrington, who missed the cut by one at Wentworth but tees it up with Paul Dunne at Walton Heath today in the 36-hole Sectional Qualifier for the US Open at Erin Hills.
"I've just got to build on this now and try and perform over there. Need to drive the ball a bit better. Drove it quite poorly most of the week.
"My iron play and my short game and my putting was fantastic, so you know, I've been battling for months to try to get my putting right, and then get my putting right and my driving goes a little bit. So that's what this game does.
Where it all crashed down on Shane Lowry's. Ball inches on other side of fence on 15th hole. OB. pic.twitter.com/lGwWAR1DJU
— Philip Reid (@philreidgolf) May 28, 2017
"But like I said, there's a lot of positives. It's hard to kind of see them now but when I get home -- I'm looking forward to getting home to my wife and daughter tonight and just chill out for a few hours and then I fly tomorrow."
Dunne, who was suffering from a sore throat all week, was 30th at Wentworth on one-under after rounds of 71, 75, 72 and 69, earning €48,137 for 27th in the Race to Dubai — nearly €54,000 short of automatic qualification for the US Open via the top 20 in the money list.
Dunne has made €471,560 from 12 starts this year.
