Buoyant Lowry targets St Patrick’s Day win at The Players

Shane Lowry is back in the world's top 50 and gunning for a St Patrick's Weekend victory in The Players Championship at Sawgrass this week.

The Offaly man (36) was disappointed not to put Scottie Scheffler under pressure from the start in the final group of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

But after rallying from two opening bogeys to shoot 72 to Scheffler's bogey-free 66 and claim third place in an event where he has struggled, the 2019 Open champion cannot wait to test himself in Jacksonville this week.

"Rory did say to me this morning that the last Paddy's Day we finished The Players on, he won it, so it's hopefully my turn to win it," grinned Lowry, who has shot under par in eight of his last 12 rounds at TPC Sawgrass.

Lowry's third-place finish at Bay Hill was worth $1.4 million, but it also boosted him to 30th in the FedEx Cup standings and from 54th to 37th in the world.

"I was close to being a lot better this week, but another top-five and some well-needed, much-needed FedExCup points, and on to Sawgrass next week," said Lowry, who congratulated Scheffler as they walked up the 18th fairway.

"After I hit my approach shot in there, he just turned around and said, 'That was a heck of a round of golf',” Scheffler revealed after a dominant performance notable for his improved play on the greens.

The American extended his lead over Rory McIlroy at the top of the world rankings and defends The Players this week feeling better about his putting than he has in some time after making a string of changes.

"I try not to focus too much on the results, but my process was really good this week and the results so far are pretty tough to argue with, I would say," said Scheffler, whose incredible consistency— three wins and 15 top-tens in his last 23 starts — was recognised by McIlroy.

"Anyone can pop up and win an event here or there or get on a good run, but the consistent performances that Scottie's been putting in week-in and week-out, every time he tees it up, it is incredible," McIlroy said.

"We knew if he started to hole putts, then this sort of stuff would happen," McIlroy said, adding that were it not for other narratives such as LIV Golf, the American would be getting greater plaudits.

"The play on the golf course has sort of taken a backseat to everything else, which is a shame.

"So, yeah, I'd say if we were in a different place in the world of golf, Scottie's golf would probably be getting a lot more applause and praise."

It was another snakes-and-ladders performance from world number two McIlroy, who has failed to record a top-20 finish in his first four starts of the PGA TOUR season, having finished 2023 with ten top-10s in a row.

If Scheffler solved his putting conundrum at Bay Hill, McIlroy needs to sort out his iron play (especially from inside 150 yards) as the Masters approaches.

"I guess for me, in my head at the minute, it's all about the approach play because that's the thing that I'm struggling with," McIlroy said on Sunday after he followed a back nine of 30 on Saturday with an opening 41 and a final round 76 that left him tied 21st.

"I've got three days here to try to figure it out and get some good work in. Again, I think I'll probably lead the field in strokes gained off the tee this week, for the third week in a row, so I just need the other.

"Once I do that, then the next part is the key for me."

McIlroy shared 21st place with Seamus Power, whose first top-25 finish on the PGA TOUR since last July's John Deere Classic sees him move from 107th to 101st in the world.

It was also a positive week for Tom McKibbin on the DP World Tour.

Following his tie for ninth behind Matteo Manassero in the Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa, he moved to a career-best 125th in the world.

The Holywood star (21) was undone by an opening triple bogey seven and finished seven shots behind Manassero, who leaps nearly 200 places to 182nd following his first DP World Tour win for almost 11 years.