Lowry "grateful" to Tiger Woods for "mad" money now available in tour
Shane Lowry looks on as Masters champion Tiger Woods plays his stroke from the No. 2 tee during Round 1 of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, November 12, 2020.
SHANE LOWRY admits he's "grateful" to Tiger Woods for the huge money he now plays for on tour.
After twice turning down invitations in previous years, the 2019 Open champion (35) makes his debut in Woods' $3.5 million Hero World Challenge at Albany in the Bahamas, looking to take his season's earnings to a whopping $9.47 million with a $1 million payday.
"It's mad, to be honest," Lowry told The Scotsman before the off when asked about the $3 million bonus he landed for finishing 12th behind Woods in this year's Player Impact Programme (PIP).
"Look, it's obviously very financially rewarding for myself, and I'm not going to complain about it. But I personally don't like the talk about the amount of money that is being thrown about by LIV and elevated events (on the PGA Tour) and all that.
"I feel like I am playing for tournaments and good finishes as opposed to money, but it is amazing to think I finished 12th among the 20 most influential players on the PGA Tour. That's really nice and pretty cool.
"I can use that for certain things, selling myself to sponsors, for instance, but I believe a lot of it comes down to good golf and I feel I have played a lot of good golf this year. As a result of that, I've been on TV a lot."
While he didn't add to his Major haul, Lowry had the most consistent year of his career before holding off Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm to win the BMW PGA at Wentworth.
"I'm pretty happy with what I've done this year," he said. "There were a couple of things I didn't achieve that I would have liked, including not making the Tour Championship.
Shane Lowry tees off on the 18th hole during the first round at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (Robert Beck/USGA)
"I contended in one of the four majors, being up there in The Masters for a while. I won a big tournament and I achieved a lot of what I wanted to achieve this year.
"When I sit down in a couple of weeks and talk to Neil and the lads in my team back home, we'll go round the table and have a chat about it and I'll be very happy as I think it's been quite a successful season. Apart from 2019, it's probably been my best year on tour."
The world number 20 is thrilled to finally make Woods' season-ending event featuring six of the world's top 10 and 15 of the top 20, despite15-time Major winner's enforced absence with a foot injury.
"It's Tiger Woods, at the end of the day, and you want to support him and his event," said Lowry, who has coach Neil Manchip on his bag this week as regular caddie Brian Martin takes a break until January. "Anything he puts his name to is something you're delighted to be involved in.
"It's obviously disappointing that he's not playing as I am sure he'd love to see how his game is, but I am sure that the one thing on his mind is trying to get fit for The Masters, and everyone will be hoping to see him back to his best in tournaments like that.
"I always say that I believe the reason we make the money we do and have the things we have is because of Tiger Woods. As professional golfers who have played in the Tiger Woods era over the past 20 years, we should be very grateful for what he's done for the game."
Lowry will join Séamus Power in the Great Britain and Ireland side to take on the Continent of Europe in the Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in January and he admitted it was an event he was keen to see revived following Europe's record Ryder Cup defeat at Whistling Straits.
"The way the PGA Tour schedule is, I must admit I was kind of mixed about it, but I really wanted to play as I was one of the players after the last Ryder Cup who spoke to the DP World Tour and said, 'look, I really feel we need something like this again'," Lowry said
"I feel the Americans have natural pairings and they are building that camaraderie and I feel we need that. We are obviously missing the likes of Rory, Jon and Fitzy, but I feel the rest of us who are playing in it will get a lot of benefit out of it.
"By playing in it myself, I hope I can give benefit to some of the younger lads and some of the rookies who might make the team next September. I played the EurAsia Cup and just being in that environment is a help.
"I know it's nowhere near the same league as the Ryder Cup, but it is nice to be involved in something like that. If we get a couple of pairings out of it for Rome next year, then it will be a worthwhile exercise."
On the DP World Tour, West Waterford's Gary Hurley will make his debut as a full card-holder in the Investec South African Open in Johannesburg.
The Aglish man (29) is joined at Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate by Holywood's Tom McKibbin and Kinsale's John Murphy.
Hurley, who had no status on any tour just over a year ago, also plans to play the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open before Christmas.
Meanwhile, LIV Golf has announced three new venues on its 2023 LIV Golf League schedule.
A former PGA TOUR venue, Mayakoba's El Camaleón Golf Course (Feb. 24-26), and two former DP World Tour venues, Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore (Apr. 28-30), and Real Club Valderrama (Jun. 30-July 2) join previously announced The Grange in Adelaide (Apr. 21-23) as hosts for four of the 14 tournament.
